Kelly Apple's Blog, page 35
June 30, 2017
Looking back on June…
*squints at June* Man, these months zoom by, don’t they? (I KNOW I say that every month, but WHAT THE HELL, MAN, GIVE ME TIME TO APPRECIATE THE CRAZY BEFORE MOVING ONTO THE NEXT CRAZY!)
*ahem* So. June. I did stuff. I drank A LOT of coffee. I took an unplanned vacation. Which might sound weird, but it worked for me. I think I needed a little time to unwind after the craziness of having my son graduate high school (!!!!) and jumping straight into Freshman orientation for college (DOUBLE !!!!).
As for bookish stuff… book 2 in the Wicked Pride series hit virtual shelves toward the end of the month. Dangerous Curves follows Sam and Luna as they FINALLY figure out they’re meant for one another. Heh. They were fun. Next up: White Collared, Kane’s book.
On the writing front, I’m working on an as-yet-untitled book in a shifter series right now while planning out the next Monstrous cycle series.
In case you missed it, I’ll be participating in Camp NaNo in July. Shifters and monsters are on tap and I’m planning on getting a lot done!
Until next month!
The post Looking back on June… appeared first on Kelly Apple.
June 28, 2017
July’s a Camp NaNo month!
Alright, suckers. It’s time for another ride down Camp NaNo lane. Or something.
I’m not going to pull any punches here, I pretty much LOVE NaNo months. I INVARIABLY get more writing accomplished in those months than I do in non-NaNo months. Like, double the amount more.
Which is fantastic when I’m looking to finish a few books. Heck, OR when I’m looking to start a new series.
(Both are things I have planned for July, justsoyouknow.)
For me, sharing my goals keeps me on the path to actually completing them, so I’m going to spill what I’ll be working on…
First up, I teased a quote from my current WIP on social media yesterday. This as-yet untitled project is book two in a series I’m calling “North American Shifter Collective” until I can come up with a better name. I have every intention of finishing NASC2 in July. EVERY.INTENTION.
You want to see the teaser? OKAY!
HEH. Shifters, man. They make me grin.
Because I like to plan ahead, I’m also going to start working on the 3rd (and final?) installment of the Monstrous cycle. If, you know, I finish NASC2 in a timely manner. That series is tentatively titled Monstrous Revelations and it’s heading back to the world of Ari and her monstrous friends.
Not to give anything away, but there might be some revelations in it.
Just saying.
Depending of how far I get with writing that, Ari and her monsters might put in an appearance at the end of the year. Don’t hold your breath, though. I want to have all the pieces in place before that series comes out. (In other words, if I get inspired and write up a storm, it’ll happen. Otherwise, it’ll be here in 2018.)
So. If you want to follow along and see how much writing I get done daily, you can find me under Kelly Apple.
Now I’m off to plot. Diabolically.
*steeples fingers and lets out a sinister laugh*
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June 23, 2017
What I’m reading…
I’ve been diving into a TON of not-yet released books lately (although some HAVE come out at this point, but that’s the nature of things I suppose) and I’m having a blast wallowing in all these lovely fictional worlds.
First and foremost, I’m equal parts sad and delighted that Hailey Edwards Gemini series has drawn to a close. Sad, because those books make me swoony and I could seriously read SO MUCH MORE set in this world, but now I’ve read them all and WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?!?!?! On the other hand, the series gave me everything I needed to close it out. The mythology and worldbuilding is FANTASTIC. The romances are just…incredibly engaging. Like, I went back and reread the first three books in the series after finishing just to relive Cam and Graeson all over again.
The sixth book just came out, so you can jump into book 1 and barrel your way through the series and become obsessed like me. If you’re really feeling it, you can start with the Black Dog series, which sets up the events in the Gemini series and is SO good.
In other words, I really like the entire Black Dog universe and the crazy faerie shenanigans all the characters get sucked into. Sometimes literally.
If fast paced, slightly manic urban fantasy is more your thing, S.M. Reine’s newest offering just hit the virtual shelves. Drawing Dead is the first book in the Dana McIntyre Must Die series and OMG SARA DOES SUCH AN AMAZING JOB OF LOOPING ALL HER SERIES TOGETHER AND SHOWING YOU JUST HOW INSANE THE WORLD HAS BECOME. I’m not even going to attempt to lay out how to read the individual books (the series [in no particular order] are Descent, Ascension, Seasons of the Moon, War of the Alphas, Preternatural Affairs, AND ABOUT TEN MILLION MORE) (which means, CLEARLY, that you’ll have so much fun with all the crazy preternatural CRAZINESS that you’ll stagger drunkenly through the rest of summer), so I’ll just point you at her website and tell you to go to town.
Okay, so none of the books I mentioned are future releases, but they were when I was reading them. Time moves quickly, people. Sometimes I have to run to catch up.
Here’s to more good books and plenty of time to read them!
The post What I’m reading… appeared first on Kelly Apple.
June 21, 2017
The next book in the Wicked Pride series is LIVE!
Anybody in the mood for a snarly, growling (sometimes bitey) romance?
GOOD! Because it’s that time again! NEW BOOK! YAY!
This time around, we have Sam and Luna’s story. Sam is the pride’s second in command and he had a few unexpected revelations thrown at him at the end of book 1. Namely, that his mother isn’t the sweet, gentle lioness he’d assumed her to be. To say he’s already reeling from that would be an understatement. Throw in a pack of wolves who’ve moved into pride territory and the poor guy is worn thin.
Then his special someone–who doesn’t know she’s his special someone–goes on the prowl looking for a mate. And Sam FINALLY grows a mane and does what any besotted lion would do. He shows her how he really feels. By, you know, talking to her. Or attempting to, at least.
Sam and Luna, my friends. They have some issues to work out.
Dangerous CurvesAmazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes | KoboRelease Date: June 21, 2017
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Samuel Delaney’s had a rough couple of months. Not only did he find out his mom works for the government in a job she stubbornly refuses to speak about, now he’s helping his alpha deal with a sudden influx of wolves after their alpha mated with one of the cats from his pride.
Most importantly, the leopardess he’s been half in love with his entire adult life is actively looking for a mate.
And Sam isn’t even a footnote on her list of potentials.
Convincing the lovely Luna North to give him a chance would be a hell of a lot easier if he didn’t get tongue tied whenever she was around. He’ll have to rely on his cat’s instinctive ability to land on its feet if he hopes to make any headway with the stubborn beauty.
Because when a lion chooses his mate, he doesn’t back down.
Ever.
Up next…
Kane’s story is next on the docket and he has his own set of problems to deal with. White Collared has a planned July release date and I’ll be working on edits shortly.
In the meantime, enjoy Sam and Luna’s snarly romance!
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June 9, 2017
What I’m (binge) watching
Ahh, so, this has been a weird week. My son graduated from high school and it’s making me a wee bit nostalgic. Plus, he treated me to a movie AT THE THEATER (seriously, dragging me away from my computer long enough to watch a movie out is a BIG DEAL!) and I’ve been binge watching a bit since. (Watching movies at home is totally different from the theater, mind you. I can write while watching. Which I do. Often.)
What have I been binge-watching? you ask. GOOD QUESTION. Since the newest Pirates of the Caribbean movie was the one I saw, I felt like I needed to get reacquainted with Captain Jack and the hunky Orlando Bloom. So I’ve been watching the series. A lot. I’m up to the 4th movie now, but graduation festivities have derailed me the past few days.
Thennnnn, my recently graduated kiddo recapped the newest Alien movie for me after he saw it and kinda feel like that’s going to be my next series re-watch. (Random aside, Aliens was my FAVORITE movie in high school. I was obsessed with it. So in love. Abandoned colony settlements on inhospitable planets?!?! SIGN ME UP!)
So. Binge watching. It’s what I’ve been doing. Well between writing and reading, that is.
The post What I’m (binge) watching appeared first on Kelly Apple.
June 1, 2017
Looking back on May
Holy crumb, these months go by SO FAST.
Soooo… what did I do in May? Well, we saw the release of No Reservations, book 1 in the Wicked Pride series. As for the rest of that series, I finished writing book 4 and I’m currently working on edits for book 2. I’m close to finishing those up, though, so there maaaaayyyyy be a preorder up by the time the post goes live. I mean, don’t hold your breath or anything, but it could happen.
Along with writing book 4 in Wicked Pride, I spent the last half of the month working on the 3rd book in a secret sci-fi series. There’s cosmic togetherness and impossible happenings and I get to write about abandoned space stations and things that shouldn’t be! WHEEEE! I have no idea when this will see the light of day, but the series is coming together nicely.
That’s it for me! Time to grab June by the balls and give it hell!
The post Looking back on May appeared first on Kelly Apple.
May 24, 2017
The big cats have arrived!
Today’s the release day for No Reservations, the first book in the Wicked Pride series. *throws confetti*
*throws confetti again*
*eats all the cake*
BOOK BIRTHDAYS ARE SO FUN, AREN’T THEY?!?!
Want some tidbits about this book (and series)? EXCELLENT. Because I’m going to tell you anyway.
No Reservations was originally written around a writing prompt for an anthology that ultimately fell through.
While I knew I was going to write at least one other book in the series as soon as I’d finished book 1, I honestly (HONESTLY) thought it would be a two book series. MAX.
This series is not two books long.
Both No Reservations and Dangerous Curves were written at the end of 2015. White Collared and Laid Bear were written at the beginning of 2017. (Yeah, when I went back to reread the first two to ready them for the editor, my muse slapped me upside the head and informed me that this series wasn’t done. So I wrote more.)
The fact that these cats consider themselves part of a pride when they’re not all lions is addressed in book 3. (Hint: the first pride leader was a lion and he wanted them to be a pride. What the king wants, the king gets.)
I have a series of day in the life short stories written for each of the couples. I’m trying to decide whether they’ll be newsletter exclusives or just freebies I throw out into the world.
There you have it! While this series was supposed to be a quickie with only two books, you’re getting FOUR for your reading pleasure. PLUS, they’re going to be released fairly quickly so you’ll be able to see how things play out for the various pride members. WHOO-HOO!
No ReservationsAmazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes | KoboRelease Date: May 24, 2017
Pages: 82
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Cami Patterson has the worst luck with men. Everyone in her pride knows it and they steer clear of her so they don't end up with a broken bone or two or, even worse, dead. Needless to say, when her best friend sets her up on a blind date with a werewolf visiting from out of town, she doesn't expect anything to come of it.
She certainly doesn't expect a night of non-stop excitement including thwarting a robbery, getting chased by the police, and almost causing an international incident. Who has time to enjoy themselves with all that going on? Or of hooking up with her sex-on-a-stick date?
Cami just might have met her match in the wolf who laughs in the face of danger and doesn't hesitate to jump in when there's a damsel in distress. Who knew it would take a wolf to brave this cat's run of bad relationships?
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May 19, 2017
What I’m reading (Read-a-thon edition)
The Bout of Books read-a-thon was the week of May 8th and I went crazy with the reading during it. All that bookish love was highly enjoyable since I hadn’t indulged in a week long reading binge in a while.
What did I read? you ask.
WELL, LET ME TELL YOU!
I finished a reread of Eve Langlais’s Alien Abduction series. If big, purple, and somewhat morally bankrupt aliens are your thing, I HIGHLY recommend this series. It’s insanely over the top at time and I just love how hard those macho purple aliens try NOT to fall for the sexy humans they find at the far edges of the galaxy. Expect plenty of probing (of the sexy kind!) and lots of sass and snark.
I also indulged in the most recent Ice Planet Barbarians book by the FABULOUS Ruby Dixon. I am OBSESSED with that series. These aliens happen to be big, BLUE, and fiercely protective of the human woman they cross paths with at (you guessed it) the far edges of the galaxy. Prison Planet Barbarian is a departure from the other books in the series as it takes place away from the ice planet we’ve come to know and love, but there’s still possessive looks, sexy times in unexpected places, and slightly feral aliens. WIN!
Okay, you know what? I read a lot of sci-fi romance books this read-a-thon. I just…like the sexy times in space. So, in no particular order, I also caught up on Anna Hackett’s The Phoenix Adventures series, Erin Tate’s Dragons of Preor series, Cynthia Sax’s Cyborg Sizzle series, and … that might be all the sci-fi romance books. *thinks* Yes, I’m pretty sure that covers it.
I was also lucky enough to receive an advance copy of Adriana Anders In His Hands, the 3rd book in the Blank Canvas series. This series is PHENOMENAL. The subject matter is a little tough (abuse, both physical and mental), but I was hooked within pages of book 1. I absolutely adored the dynamic in book 3 between the grumpy farmer who DOES NOT make wine and the scarred woman who’s determined to find a different path for herself. Like I said, the subject matter is dark and heartbreaking, but the determination of those who’ve been wronged to fight through what was done to them hooked me hard.
WHEW! I had a couple other series I worked my way through, but I’ll save those for the next edition of What I’m Reading.
In the meantime, happy reading!
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May 11, 2017
Stuff Your Kindle!
Howdy, readers! I’m taking part in a HUGE multi-author event to help YOU stuff your Kindle (or the reading device of your choosing!) for Mother’s Day. For today ONLY, you can grab a TON of books in a variety of genres. (Okay, okay, my books will be available for free past today, but the others might not be, SO JUMP ON THIS!)
MAMA NEEDS NEW BOOKS STUFF YOUR KINDLE EVENT!
Click the above link, choose your reading platform, GRAB BOOKS. It’s that’s simple.
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May 10, 2017
Freebie THIS!
For the next couple days, the first books in the Monstrous Tales and Monstrous Matchmaker series are free! On other words, if you’ve wanted to try out Ari’s story, but haven’t NOW’S THE TIME!
The Wicked Woods (Monstrous Tales #1)
Operation Werewolf (Monstrous Matchmaker #1)
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