Kimberly Lewis's Blog, page 44

Let the countdown begin!

I'm working very hard this week on getting these final edits done for Zane and Andi's story. I've been working hard on this one for about a year now doing re-writes, re-arranging things, adding things, and it's finally coming down to the ending point. My editor has gone over the novel one last time and given me some minor things that need to be corrected and then I'm done:) It's sometimes hard to believe that I'm about to release my second novel, but I'm thrilled to be bringing you another story that I hope you all will enjoy. I'm truly please that you have been enjoying my little sneak peaks into Zane and Andi's story. Next week's will be the final excerpt before the book is released and I'm also working on making my first ever book trailer. Once I have that done I'll be sure to post it for your viewing pleasure:) Have a great day everyone! I'm off to get Zane and Andi's story finalized so it will be ready for it's August 7th release date!

"Zane - The McKades of Texas" Excerpt #3

Hello everyone! Here is the 3rd excerpt from "Zane". I hope y'all enjoy reading it:) Oh, and I've recently decided to just go ahead and release the novel on the Kindle AND the Nook. So if you are a Kindle owner OR a Nook owner and are interested in receiving a FREE copy of this novel as soon as it comes out make sure you sign up to win (see the Rafflecopter box below)! Enjoy!




“You want to dance?” he asked in an upbeat tone. He didn’t wait for her to answer. Instead he took her hand in his and quietly led them out to the grassy part of the yard that was marked off as a dance floor. They joined in with the other dancers and slowly swayed back and forth to the rhythm of the music. Andi leaned her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat while they danced. It was more beautiful than any melody she had ever heard. The song came to an end and everyone clapped for the band. Ty took the stage and approached the microphone.“Hey ya’ll, everyone having a good time?” he said into the microphone. His voiced boomed loudly through the speakers placed throughout the property and everyone clapped and cheered. “Good, good. Has anyone seen Zane McKade?” Ty asked looking out into the crowd.A murmur swam through the crowd and a sea of heads began to turn in every direction looking for Zane.“Oh crap,” Zane mumbled under his breath and froze.“What’s wrong?” Andi whispered leaning into him and giving him a concerned look.“Here! He’s here!” a man called out five people away from Zane and pointed in his direction.Ty smiled and pointed to Zane. “Ah ha! Trying to hide are ya? Well not for long. Get your butt on up here and sing us a song.”Andi turned to Zane and saw that his face had lost all of his golden tan and now looked ghostly white. “Are you ok? What’s he talking about singing?”“Come on ladies and gents, give him a clap for encouragement,” Ty said clapping his hands and standing back from the microphone.“Damn it all to hell,” Zane groaned and took in a deep breath.“Are you going up there?” Andi asked.“Can’t really back out now, can I?” he said with a nervous laugh.“Guess not,” she agreed, although she felt very confused.Zane took in another deep breath and let go of Andi’s hand. “I’ll be right back,” he said with a smile.She watched as he made his way through the crowd and up the steps to the stage. A man greeted him at the top of the stairs and handed him a string guitar. He looped the strap over his head and shook hands with Ty before turning and talking to the rest of the band. When he approached the microphone he adjusted it to his height and greeted everyone.“Well, for those of you who don’t know me I’m Zane McKade.”The crowd cheered and whistled.“We’re going keep things slow. I’m gonna sing a little song by a country artist I’m sure ya’ll know. It’s a little number called “Must Be Doin’ Somethin’ Right” by Mr. Billy Currington. Here goes.”Zane stepped back from the microphone and began to strum the tune on the guitar as the rest of the band picked up with the song as well. Andi was amazed as she watched his fingers work the strings of the guitar. He looked in her direction, smiled and winked, and she felt every bone in her body melt. Zane stepped back up to the microphone and began to sing. His eyes never left hers throughout the duration of the song, and for a little fun he changed out the blue eyes lyrics to brown eyes for that personal touch. No one had ever made her feel so special in her entire life. In this one moment, with Zane on stage and keeping his beautiful blue eyes locked with her hers while he sang to her, she felt like the only woman in the world. That was the kind of love she had yearned for; and she realized that she had found it in Zane.

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Western Roundup Giveaway Hop

First Annual Western Roundup Giveaway Hop Hosted by MK McClintock, Kimberly Lewis and Cait Lavender

July 20th - 26thFeaturing books with cowboys!
(or mountain men, or the old west, or cowgirls, rancher wannabes, historical, contemporary, etc)
Cowboys are sexy and deserve a hop of their own. The western genre has exploded beyond old west and romance to include werewolves, wizards and other magical beings. Want to meet a charming cowboy or tough as nails cowgirl? Want to know what magic has to do with the old west? Want an old-fashioned historical western romance? We're here to give you a taste of something you shouldn't miss!


Hey y'all and welcome to my stop on the Western Roundup Giveaway Hop! Each blog on the hop will be giving away a different book, so make sure you visit each one and see what kind of cowboy goodness you can walk away with:) On my stop I am going to be giving away two copies of my very first contemporary western romance, When the Heart Falls. Two lucky winners will have their choice of either Kindle version or a Nook version. So, what's the book about? Well I'm glad you asked! Here's the synopsis and a little excerpt. Enjoy!


When Misty Prescott moved back home to her parent’s ranch after catching her husband cheating on her, she couldn’t have possibly known that she’d fall for not one, but two cowboys at the same time. Nor could she have known that getting involved with both men would bring unwelcome excitement, turning her already messed up world completely upside down. As Misty’s relationship with Vance Kinney begins, she can’t help but develop an intense attraction to her best friend’s older brother, Dylan McCoy. But just as Misty makes her choice, she indirectly becomes the target of one horrific event after another. Now, Misty must fight the very obstacles that threaten to tear her apart from the man she loves, and survive the danger lurking around every corner that threatens their very lives.

Excerpt:

The smell of alcohol on her breath was enough to make him drunk. He leaned his head away from hers and took a breath of non-alcoholic air.“Shoo, Misty! What did you do? Take a bath in Jack Daniels?” he asked, scrunching his face up a little.“Dylan, that’s silly.” She giggled. “Where are we going?” she asked as he kept his arm around her waist and started to usher her to the door.“I’m taking you home.” he said.“But I haven’t finished my show!” she protested and waved her hand back toward the stage.“I think your show is over for tonight. That poor mic needs a rest.” He chuckled.“Dylan McCoy, are you telling me I can’t sing?” she asked and stumbled a little bit.He helped her keep her balance and jokingly replied, “Misty, you couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket.”“You don’t know what you’re talking about. I sing like a bird,” she said proudly and lifted her chin.“A dying bird,” he said under his breath. They walked past the bar and Dylan nodded to Paul. “See you in a little bit.”“I’ll be there as soon as I get closed up,” Paul agreed.What should have been an easy task of walking her out to her car proved different. She kept tripping in the loose stone and dramatically throwing her arm in the air as she kept trying to prove to Dylan that she could indeed sing like a bird. Dylan was annoyed but amused at the same time. At one point she took a tumble and landed flat on her behind. Dylan could barely contain his laughter when she whined that her butt was bruised and insisted that he kiss it and make it better. When he finally got her out to her car, he leaned her against the side long enough to open her purse and get her keys. He hit the unlock button and the cars lights blinked twice. He walked her around to the passenger side and opened the door for her.“I don’t want to get in,” she said like a child getting ready to throw a temper tantrum.“Misty, please get in the car,” he said softly.“No!” she said as she stomped her boot on the ground. “Not until you tell me that I sing like a bird.”Dylan sighed and shook his head. He knew it wasn’t worth arguing with her so he smiled and said, “Ok, you sing like a bird.”“Thank you,” she said arrogantly with a smile. She went to push herself from the side of the car so she could take the passenger seat, but lost her balance and fell into Dylan’s chest. His arms firmly wrapped around her so she wouldn’t fall.“Easy now,” he said. Dylan loosened his grip a little bit after she regained her balance, but he didn’t let go. He looked down at her just as she leaned her face up to see his and their eyes locked. For a moment, it seemed as if time was standing still. He could feel his heart rate quicken as she stared into his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to lean down and join his lips with hers. Caught up in the moment, he smiled a little and leaned in toward her. The scent of Jack Daniels on her breath brought him up short. He opened his eyes and pulled back from her. He could tell she was a little confused but she didn’t question him. If she hadn’t been so intoxicated Dylan would have taken advantage of that moment and kissed her.“Um,” he said, clearing his throat. “You ready to go now?”She nodded her head and allowed him to help her into the car. After she was settled, he closed her door and walked around to the driver’s side. Once in, he started the car and slowly pulled out of the parking lot. Misty stared out the windshield with a blank expression. She was slowly starting to sober up and the landscape flying by was making her feel a little nauseous. It felt like her head was spinning; not only from the effects of the alcohol but from the kiss that she and Dylan almost shared. Why had he pulled away from her? She was ready and willing for it to happen. So why didn’t it? She turned to look in his direction and saw a look of confusion and concern on his face. She opened her mouth to apologize for how she had acted tonight when she noticed that he kept checking the rearview mirror. Confused, she looked behind them and saw a set of headlights trailing fairly close behind them.“What’s wrong?” she asked Dylan.“I’m not sure but I think that car is following us,” he said with the sound of concern clear in his voice.Misty looked out the back window again and asked, “What makes you say that?”“They’ve been on our tail since we pulled out of the bar,” he explained. “Your seat belt on?”“Yes. Why?” she asked confused.“Hang on,” he told her as he pushed the gas pedal to go faster.The car behind them kept up with the pace and began to tail them even closer now.“Yep! Definitely following us,” he said out loud. She wasn’t sure if he was talking to her or to himself. Just then the car flipped on its bright lights and rammed into the back of Misty’s car. She let out a scream and clutched the dashboard.“Hold on!” Dylan yelled as he floored it. Dylan drove Misty’s car as fast as it would go down the dark country road but he couldn’t seem to shake off the other car. The car rammed into the back of them once more and they lurched forward.“Oh my God, Dylan. What’s going on?” Misty asked through frightened gasps.“I have no idea,” Dylan told her as he continued to try and out run the aggressive car behind them.Misty looked out the windshield and saw a sign for a sharp turn up ahead. “Dylan, you better slow down there’s a bad turn up here,” she quickly informed him.“I can’t,” he said.“What do you mean you can’t? Slow down. We’re not going to make the turn going this fast.”“I can’t, Misty. Your brakes are out!”

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My "On the Island" by Tracey Garvis-Graves Review

Anna Emerson is a thirty-year-old English teacher desperately in need of adventure. Worn down by the cold Chicago winters and a relationship that’s going nowhere, she jumps at the chance to spend the summer on a tropical island tutoring sixteen-year-old T.J.T.J. Callahan has no desire to go anywhere. His cancer is in remission and he wants to get back to his normal life. But his parents are insisting he spend the summer in the Maldives catching up on all the school he missed last year.Anna and T.J. board a private plane headed to the Callahan’s summer home, and as they fly over the Maldives’ twelve hundred islands, the unthinkable happens. Their plane crashes in shark-infested waters. They make it to shore, but soon discover that they’re stranded on an uninhabited island.At first, their only thought is survival. But as the days turn to weeks, and then months, the castaways encounter plenty of other obstacles, including violent tropical storms, the many dangers lurking in the sea, and the possibility that T.J.’s cancer could return. As T.J. celebrates yet another birthday on the island, Anna begins to wonder if the biggest challenge of all might be living with a boy who is gradually becoming a man. My Review: Recently I watched a movie on Lifetime called “The Blue Lagoon: The Awakening” and it really got me in the mood for “stranded on deserted island” stories. I watched the first two Blue Lagoon movies and found myself kind of bored because I’ve seen them so many times. Feeling unsatisfied, I remembered a blog post that I read probably a month ago that briefly talked about a novel called “On the Island”. At the time I blew it off because it didn’t appeal to me, but now that I was on this “two people alone on a deserted island” kick I decided to give it a chance—and I’m glad I did. This novel was wonderful and I loved everything about it. I swear I have recommended it to so many people and will talk about it to anyone that will listen to me:)            So here’s the story... Thirty-year-old Anna is tutoring sixteen-year-old TJ for the summer on his family vacation in the Maldives. TJ is in remission from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and because of his illness he had missed most of the school year, thus his need for a tutor so he can graduate to his junior year instead of having to repeat the 10th grade. Anna was unable to leave with TJ’s family for the islands because of her school schedule, and TJ wanted to stay behind for a friend’s “party” so it’s agreed that Anna and TJ will travel together to the islands and arrive after TJ’s family. Nothing seems to be going right during Anna and TJ’s travels and tragedy strikes when the pilot taking them to the island resort has a heart attack mid-air causing the plane to crash in the middle of the ocean. Anna and TJ survive the crash and eventually make it to an island, which they soon learn upon arrival that it is deserted. Believing that a plane will fly over within a day or so to find them, Anna and TJ make the best of their situation and do their best to survive with what little resources they have. When the possibility of being rescued dwindles, Anna and TJ settle into a routine and their life on the island. The days turn into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years. As TJ celebrates another birthday, officially entering him into manhood, Anna realizes that living with TJ is about to get complicated.            Okay, so right now you’re probably thinking that there’s a pretty big age gap between these two characters—and you’re right, 13 years to be exact (I know 30-16=14 but she turned 30 in May and he is going to be 17 in September, making the 13 year age gap). But the author does such a good job on making everything that happens between these characters completely natural. When they first arrive on the island, I felt that, although Anna and TJ were very much equals, Anna took on sort of a motherly role—caring for TJ when he was hurt and such. TJ on the other-hand did not think of Anna in a motherly way at all. Even before they crashed into the ocean he had a little bit of a thing for her, and those feelings only intensify with them being alone all the time—but he never makes them known. But as years pass, Anna and TJ grow to be great friends and, now that TJ is a man, he starts to be a little more blatant about his feelings—not hiding the fact that he’s checking her out, telling her she looks good, etc. Everything about their growing romance was so well written and completely unforced (nothing romantic happens between them—flirting,etc—until chapter 23 or almost halfway through the novel).            There are a lot of events that happen after you hit the midway point of the novel, and although I enjoy spoilers other people do not so I’m not going to give away anymore details of the book. Sorry to those of you who want to know more. I will point out a few other things I really liked about it before I end my review and give you my rating. I really enjoyed how each chapter was either written from Anna’s point of view or TJ’s (both written in the first person). The story would have been okay if it was written from a third person point of view, but I think with it in first person you get to actually understand what they are going through more, emotionally and physically. I also really liked how the author didn’t glamorize being stranded on a deserted island. Most of the movies or shows I’ve seen never go into how hard it is to survive on nothing. When they arrive on the island they literally have the clothes on their back and that’s it. They struggle to stay alive and hydrated their first few days there and come pretty close to dying. As they spend more time on the island they face more disasters and dangers—they get hurt, they get sick, they fight to stay alive, etc.            All in all this was a really great read and I enjoyed it so much that I finished it in one day (very hard to put down). After I finished reading it, I looked up the author, visited her website and discovered that this was originally a self-published novel (her very first novel ever) that was picked up by a publisher after it gained attention. Now she is a NY Times Best Selling Author and MGM has bought the option to make “On the Island” into a movie. I think that is amazing and I am really hoping that this does make it to the big screen because I will definitely be going to see it:) My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars Book Content:  This novel contains adult language (some strong language is used from time to time), mild sexual situations, and mild violence (not person against person violence but human against nature violence). 

Writing Quote of the Day

"What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up o the phone whenever you felt like it. That doesn't happen much though."
-J.D. Salinger

"Zane - The McKades of Texas" Excerpt #2

Okay folks. Here's the second excerpt from "Zane - The McKades of Texas". Hope you enjoy it and if you're interested in receiving a free kindle copy of this book make sure you see the rafflecopter box below:) Happy reading!


Andi opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling for a long moment, taking in slow deep breaths. Feeling not the least bit tired now, she decided to venture out of her room in search of a glass of water. Attempting to be as quite as she possibly could, she slowly opened the door and headed down the hallway in what she hoped was the direction of the kitchen. Her hand slid lightly along the wall, using it as a guide in this dark unfamiliar house. She froze when her foot had stepped on a creaky board and waited to see if she had woken Norah. When no doors opened, she continued and soon came to an open room; what she assumed was the living area. The curtainless windows allowed enough light so Andi could easily make her way through the room without running into any furniture. From there she passed through a large dining area and finally into the kitchen. She made her way across the slate floor to the kitchen sink and flipped the switch for the light above it. She glanced around the dimly lit room and thought it was quite charming. The off white cabinets had a rustic appearance to them and the butcher block counter top complimented them very nicely. The pale yellow paint that covered the walls was such a cheerful color and reminded her of summers at the beach with her family. Although it was a happy memory, the thought of her parents brought back other, more emotional memories as well. She pushed her thoughts aside, quietly cleared her throat and began to carefully open the cabinets in search of a glass.            “Aha! There you are,” she whispered when she had found the right cabinet. Standing on her tiptoes, she reached for the glass.The main kitchen light flicked on overhead and was followed by a man’s voice asking, “What the hell are you doing?”Andi let out a startled squeal and spun around, dropping the glass on the floor where it shattered into a thousand pieces. Scared beyond belief, she stared at the man as he lowered the baseball bat in his hand to his side.             Oh this is not happening.            “You?” Both Andi and Zane said at the same time. Silence filled the room as the two of them stared each other down.            “I’ll ask you again,” Zane said. “What the hell are you doing?”   “What am I doing?” Andi replied. “What are you doing? Jesus, you just scared the crap out of me!” she said, clutching her chest and taking in a deep breath to calm herself.“Don’t try to change the subject, princess,” Zane said, taking a step into the kitchen and crossing his arms.Andi’s heart was beating so fast that it felt like it was going to beat right out of her chest. And she wasn’t quite sure if it was from being startled or the fact that Zane was standing against the doorframe wearing only a pair of navy blue pajama bottoms. She had to give the man credit, even though he irritated her to the point that she wanted to slap him, he did look pretty darn good without his shirt on.“I was just trying to get a glass of water,” she explained, trying to keep her focus on his face and not his perfectly sculpted upper body. “So you just break into people’s houses in your underwear and steal glasses of water?” he asked in a sarcastic tone.Andi, unaware that her nightshirt had ridden up over her bikini bottoms, began to self-consciously tug at the hemline of her shirt attempting to cover herself.“Your house?” she asked. “I thought this was Norah’s house?” Confusion swam through her mind. What the heck was going on here?They were momentarily distracted by a set of footsteps running down the hall, and then Luke came bursting into the kitchen wielding a hand gun. Andi let out another startled scream at the sight of the gun, and when Luke realized there was no danger he quickly dropped it to his side. He smiled when he caught site of Andi and lifted his empty hand to comb his hair back.“What’d you bring a gun for?” Zane asked with a raised eyebrow to Luke.Luke diverted his eyes from Andi and turned his attention to Zane. “I heard a woman scream,” he explained and shrugged. “What’d you expect me to do?”Two more sets of footsteps could be heard running down the hallway and seconds later Norah appeared in the kitchen along with an older woman carrying a rifle in her hand.“For the love of God don’t shoot!” Andi begged when the older woman aimed in her direction.“Put the rifle down, Mom,” Luke said, reaching out and pushing the barrel of the gun towards the floor.Linda looked to Andi with a confused expression, then turned her attention to both of her sons. “Would you care to explain yourselves, boys?”



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Country Music Friday - "The One That Got Away" by Jake Owen

Busy Bee:)

Today I'm working on doing the final edits my editor provided me with. Gotta get it done and sent back to her by this weekend for a final once over because August is approaching quick! So excited! Have a great day everyone! I'm gonna get to it now:)

Writing Quote of the Day

"Cram your head with characters and stories. Abuse your library privileges. Never stop looking at the world, and never stop reading to find out what sense other people have made of it. If people give you a hard time and tell you to get your nose out of a book, tell them you're working. Tell them it's research. Tell them to pipe down and leave you alone." - Jennifer Weiner 

"Zane - The McKades of Texas" Excerpt #1

My new contemporary western romance will be coming out the first week in August so I thought I'd give you all a sneak peak at what you can expect:) Each week, up until the release of the book, I'll post a new excerpt every Monday. So, here we go... Please enjoy this very first excerpt from "Zane - The McKades of Texas."


Kellan saw the man coming her way and a nervous feeling began to grow in the pit of her stomach. She hadn’t noticed it when he rode up, but he was incredibly good looking. The man had to be a least six two, with long muscular legs leading up to narrow hips that angled into a very masculine upper body. He looked like an athlete. He looked…solid. And although his pale blue shirt was soaked with sweat, it somehow added to his overall appeal. He stopped at her table and glared at her. Only then did she realize that this man was not coming over for friendly chit-chat and her mood shifted.“Is that your red sports car out there?” Zane asked, tilting his head and jerking his thumb towards the parking lot.“Yes,” Kellan told him. What’s it to you? She stared up at him, waiting for him to continue. But when he just stared back, his deep blue eyes shooting daggers at her, she decided enough was enough. “Is there something I can help you with?”Zane’s jaw flexed. “You could have four miles ago.”“What?” She was utterly confused as to what mileage had to do with his apparent anger towards her.“I don’t look familiar to you?” He stared at her, his eyebrows coming together in frustration.She looked the man over from head to toe. “No, I’m sorry you don’t.”Zane let out an exasperated sigh. “How about now?” He raised his arms above his head and waved them just like he had done when he was trying to flag her down.He looked completely ridiculous and she fought back the urge to laugh at him. But the more she looked at him she realized that he did look strangely familiar. Oh my… He was the man on the side of the road next to the pickup truck just outside of town.“Oh,” Kellan said. “Yes, I do remember you now. I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you with your shirt on.” She loaded her voice with sarcasm and crossed her arms over her chest. If he was going to have an attitude with her, then she was going to give it right back.Zane’s eyes narrowed. “Well, would you care to explain why you just blew past me like that?”Kellan laughed, quietly as to not draw attention. “Why did I blow past you? Hmm, let me think. Um, maybe it has to do with the fact that you were partially naked and in the middle of nowhere.”Well damn. He hadn’t thought about that. He’d been all riled up thinking that some guy just ignored him. Now, thinking about it from her perspective, he could see why she didn’t pull over to help him. As it was though, his built up anger from everything that had transpired today got the best of him and he continued with his rant.“I was not half naked,” he said, his voice low as he briefly glancing around the room to see if anyone could hear them speaking.“Look, cowboy.” She said the word as though it were an insult and not an affirmation of what he obviously was. “I’m sorry you’re having a bad day, but don’t come over here and take it out on me. I had a good reason for not stopping earlier and I’m not going to apologize for looking after my own safety. You could’ve been a murderer for all I knew.”Zane knew that he should just man up and walk away, but he just couldn’t do that now after her snarky “cowboy” remark. Why’d she have to go and say it like that anyway?“Look, princess,” he said with the same tone she had used. “This ain’t Hollywood. Take your sunglasses off. You’re inside and you look like a damn fool.”Kellan’s jaw fell in disbelief.Zane smiled, feeling triumphant that he got in the last word. He turned and started to walk away from her.“Screw you, cowboy!” she yelled after him, saying the word exactly as she had before. “And that horse you rode in on.”And—Whoops!—now everyone in the diner had turned to look at them.Zane turned around to face her with amusement on his face. “Very original, princess.”


Like what you read? Interested in reading more? Well, today is your lucky day:) Since I'm feeling in the giving mood, I'm going to be giving away 3 copies of "Zane - The McKades of Texas" (Kindle only at this time). Sign up below for your chance to win! Good luck!
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