K.J. Farnham's Blog, page 25

My Goals for 2015

My one and only goal in 2014 was to finish Click Date Repeat. Now that that���s done���phew!���it���s time to really get to work. This year, my aspirations are much higher. I honestly don���t know how many of these goals I can accomplish, but the first step to meeting any goal is committing to it, right?? Plus, I���m the kind of person who likes to cross things off of lists, so I���m hopeful that putting my goals for 2015 in writing will keep me on task.

Goal #1 ��� Finish and Publish Don���t...

Book Review: The Holdout by Laurel Osterkamp

I have been a fan of Survivor since the U.S. version first aired in 2000. Every season, I find myself wondering what goes on behind the scenes, how much the editing has affected my opinions about the castaways and to what extent cast members keep in touch when filming ends. I also love a good showmance, especially one that has gone bad, so I was very excited to read The Holdout. While this book offers Survivor-like drama and an interesting take on what life could be like for a reality show co...

Win a Paperback Copy of Click Date Repeat!

Hi all! I’m kicking off the New Year with a giveaway. One paperback copy of Click Date Repeat is up for grabs!

To enter, you can either like the giveaway post on the Click Date Repeat Facebook page OR follow my blog. (I rarely post promotional stuff–mostly book reviews and personal tidbits.) If you do both, that counts as two entries!

If you are already a follower of this blog (Thank you!����) and would like to enter, then you can either like this post or let me know by commenting.

The winner wi...

Happy 2015!

To ring in the New Year, my family started a new tradition. All of us (except for the 2-year-old, of course) shared a favorite memory from 2014 about each family member. To my surprise, my husband and 9-year-old son both said their favorite memory about me was when I published my first novel.

Here are my son’s exact words:

“My favorite memory of mom was when she achieved her goal to finish Click Date Repeat.”

Talk about warm fuzzies.

Book Review: Bad Elephant Far Stream by Samuel Hawley

Samuel Hawley’s Bad Elephant Far Stream is the best book I read in 2014. It is a historical fiction based on the life of Topsy the crooked-tailed circus elephant who was electrocuted in 1903 after causing the deaths of three men. Not only is this book filled with interesting circus tidbits, but it also provides insight into what could have driven a highly intelligent and once beloved circus animal to kill three of her trainers.

Topsy and elephant truck. Fairyland Circus, June 20, 1962

Photo Sou...

Book Review: From the Wreckage by Michele G. Miller

After a tornado ravages a small Texas town, Jules Blacklin is faced with a variety of losses that turn her world upside down. Based on the book’s description, I was expecting more about how the storm devastated the town and how Jules deals with all of the devastation. Instead, more than 75 percent of the book focuses on her newfound feelings for West, a classmate who was by her side when the storm hit, and her dwindling romantic feelings for her boyfriend of two years.

The story begins with Ju...

Holiday Greetings

Just wanted to share some personal photos from the last couple of weeks. Christmas blessings and wishes for a happy and healthy 2015 to all!

Book Review: Homeowner With a Gun by Samuel Hawley

After reading (and LOVING) Bad Elephant Far Stream (review to come), I immediately checked to see if Hawley has written anything similar. Sadly, he hasn’t published any other historical fiction novels, so I picked up Homeowner With a Gun: A Thriller.

When Jeff discovers late-night intruders in his home, he does what he has to do to protect his family. (It’s chilling just how realistic this scenario is.) The safety of Jeff’s family is compromised further when it is revealed that the intruders w...

Writing to Achieve Catharsis

As I write my second novel, there are no better words to describe how I feel.

It’s been a long time since I was a teenager, but some of the issues I struggled with back then are still tucked deep inside of me. While I am no longer plagued by low self-esteem and caring too much about what others think, I still find it difficult to grow close to people who did not know me during those formative teen years. This is why I created Katie Mills, the main character in Don’t Call Me Kit-Kat. She is my...

12 Days of Review Requests

Have you visited Jo Michaels’ Blog for her 12 Days of Review Requests event? If not, there are only two days left, so check it out now!

Authors: Pitch your book! (Jo, as well as other readers and writers, just might pick up a copy.) Then chat with fellow authors and browse all of the other titles listed. Maybe you’ll find a great new read for the weekend!

Readers: Discover new Indie authors, and pick up a book (or two or three