Wishing, Dreaming, and Feeling Golden… plus a winner announced!
I don’t do well when confronted with myself. Ultra critical, when I look in the mirror it’s the faults I see first, though I’m probably not all that special in that regard. But wait, it goes further. So cringe worthy is my self-reflection, that I find the sound of my own voice, intolerable and I won’t even do the recording on our home’s answering machine. That said, you can imagine how I feel about doing public readings or private ones for that matter, as I loathe the sound of my own voice even more when it’s chiming my own words back at me. Taking every flaw that was a mere whisper in my mind and scraping it out, long and slow like nails shimmying then quick skipping along a chalk board.
All that said, still, many months ago I went and entered my self-published book BOUNCE in the New Jersey Romance Writer’s Golden Leaf contest. The contest where the winner is announced in a crowded ballroom, full of edge of their seat romance writers waiting with baited breath to hear the winners words being read by the iconic, Anne Frazier Walradt. Why would I do such a thing? Me, a person with severe stage phobia who also doesn’t like to hear her own stories read aloud? It makes no sense.
Well, the answer isn’t all that deep. You see, I’d been the New Jersey Romance writer’s conference many times before and like so many others I always wished I was one of ‘the ones’. Those chosen special few who for that year got to get the applause, but more than anything got to have their work read so beautify by Anne. Each passage a perfect literary triumph. So I entered, and this is where it gets a little confusing, because if truth be told, I’m sure I entered, despite my phobias because I well and truly never expected my entry to get very far. You see I entered expecting to lose. I’m a wisher in the worst sense of the word. I make my wish and instantly negate it with a ‘and that will never happen’ on the back end on the wish.
So long story short I entered. I entered and I made a halfhearted wish upon my entry, I’m sure backing it up with my seal of doubt and then I let it go. But then, way later, a strange thing happened. I got a call that I, me, well someone by the name of K.M. Jackson had finaled in the contest. It was a total OMG, Snoopy dance and then what in the world can this really be real moment. The Universe must surly be playing a joke on me. Someone had took my wish and broken the seal of doubt. My system was good and truly wrecked.
But I went with it. And pulling up my big girl pants I, for the most part, slipped it to the back of my mind, telling myself that I was a not one of ‘The Ones’. That this was great and great was as good as it was gonna get so just roll with that and be happy. When friends told me to prepare an acceptance speech I laughed at them, saying what was the point. Preparing a speech took my wish and edged to closer to the dream category and dreams have a way of wiggling under your skin, making you put work behind them as you think they could possibly come true and I wasn’t ready to let that happen. Remember my phobias and I was fine with wishing ThankYouVeryMuch. So while I was wishing I was mentally working on my perfect Oscar clap and smile for the real winner for when I didn’t hear my words read by Anne.
Finally, it was the big moment. I was sitting with my friends, trying my best to look cool as we were waiting for my category to be called. I had it all together in my head and if things would go according to my fool proof unscientific calculations there was no possible way I could be the winner. I had my clap and smile ready and waiting. The Wisher was firmly in her lane. But then it happened. Anne walked up to the podium and I heard the first few words …
“Sean reaches over and pulls my body in close to his, cradling my backside into his groin. He’s sleeping soundly, but his erection is strong and wide-awake.”
Holy crap, she was reading from BOUNCE! I inwardly groan with embarrassment as my inner critic raised her hand to poke me in the ribs (who in the world opens a book like that?!) while at the same time my heart leaped with joyous pride. This was it. This is not my wish moment but my dream coming true. There were cameras and eyes turned my way but all I could hear was my own voice telling myself to focus. Just listen to Anne. Hear the words that I wrote. And you know what? They never sounded so good.
Thank you to Anne Frazier Walradt and the New Jersey Romance Writers for a night I will cherish forever.
And for making a Dream come true.
All the best,
KMJ
P.S. Thank you to all who entered. The Winner of my Creative Hearts Giveaway is Jackie Roberts! Congratulations Jackie. Please email me at kwanawrites @ Yahoo. Com with your information so that I can send you your gift card.
A Golden Night
It was truly the most Golden of nights. I can’t thank my fabulous RWA/NYC chapter enough for honoring me with this year’s Golden Apple award for Author of The Year. An award so amazing that I’m sure I’ll spend the rest of my life writing to feel like I’ve actually earned it. But hey, it’s in my house now and it has my name on it so I’m not giving it back. I’m going to write on, inspired by of the glow of this magical Golden Apple.
Maybe I’ll stop sleeping with it and let the DH back into bed in a week or two? Maybe…
Thanks once again to my RWA/NYC chaptermates and congrats to all the winners!
All the best,
KMJ
Thankful, Grateful & Rambling along…
Both thankful and astonished doesn’t begin to say how I’m feeling as a write this post. Yesterday I was quite floored when I went to my local RWA NYC annual chapter May Brunch. I was first, really excited because our guest speaker this year would be the amazing romance trailblazer Sandra Kitt.
Once there I quickly made a fangirl B-line to her table to introduce myself while in a smaller setting and then get all goofy and request a picture. Ms. Kitt will be honored the week after next in New Orleans at the Romantic Times Convention with a Pioneer Award, but with over 2000 attendees coming to that event I was taking my chance for a pic while I had it. I have to say Ms. Kitt was all I dreamed she would be, so incredibly kind and gracious and generous with her advice on how to navigate the convention. I can’t thank her enough for that moment and for her inspiring talk to our chapter.
That done, it was time for Chapter announcements and one was the announcements was who were the winners of our annual Golden Apple Awards (nominated and voted on by the group’s members). Now I knew I was up for an award here, and of course in my heart I had given myself a few minutes to day dream about how nice it would be to win, but as I do I then quickly dismissed it because, hey this is me and I don’t win things. I’m the girl picked last, the one for who things almost, but just don’t quite work out as planned, the one that just muddles through and good enough is good enough. Besides, who did I think I was? The completion was stiff and I was obviously put in that list of real writers (really good writers) as a fluke. Right?
Well it was time for the winners to be announced. Insert drumroll here…
Lifetime Achievement Award: Alice Orr
Librarian of the Year: Frank Collerius, Jefferson Market Library (NYPL)
Bookseller of the Year: Barnes & Noble
Media Source of the Year: Heroes and Heartbreakers (taking a SUPER Cheer moment here as I contribute Scandal posts here- and my PIC Megan Frampton is the Manager of H&H)
Agent of the Year: Jill Marsal – Marsal Lyon Literary Agency
Publisher of the Year: Entangled Publishing
Editor of the Year: Megha Parekh – Forever Romance (Grand Central Publishing)
And then came this one…
Author of the Year: Kwana Jackson (writing as K.M. Jackson) …you have got to be kidding me with this! Talk about the girl least likely. The one who feels like she’s never quite doing it (meaning this writing thing) right. Holy Wowza. I don’t quite know how to say thank you enough or take it all in. What the heck do I do now? With so many rejections marking the path behind me and who knows what, lighting the trail as I take the next step. I stand still. Frozen in place.
Few know how much of a challenge this past year and past 10 years of writing has been as the never ending search goes on for an editor that gets my voice and an agent that believes in my work enough to fight the fight as I would. But then again most of my friends are writers, so maybe they all do. Maybe my story is not all that unique and is really everyone’s story. Hopeful, doubtful, but still writing along.
This may just be my turn. All that said come September I’ll probably have the freakout of all freakouts as I’m sure I won’t know what to wear, how to do my hair, the diet will not have stuck, and worse of all I’ll have to stutter through a speech (my worst fear of all). But know this, as I’m sure to not express it correctly that night, I’ll be forever grateful and forever thankful to my NYC Chaptermates for taking me in as one of their own and saying that they get me and believe in me as one of them. A writer too.
(My silly, stunned, no, I don’t know what to say, laughing so I don’t cry, moment.
Thanks for capturing it Falguni)
All the best & with so many thanks,
KMJ
Image from Pinterest
Image from me
Image of me thanks to Falguni Kothari
Cheers to Romance!
Happy new week! I can’t believe we’re now well into December, it’s feeling like the end of the year wants to go out on a quick flash instead of a slow burn. I wouldn’t mind a bit of a slow down right about now. Just to savor the end a little.
I had a wonderful weekend, heading into the city to meet with my RWA NYC chapter for our annual end of year holiday brunch which, as always was lovely and so much fun to relax with my old and new writerly NYC friends. Well, this year’s brunch will be one that I will always cherish and never forget as I got the shock of all shocks when our wonderful president, Maria Ferrer stood to handle end of year business, announce the new board and then to finally announce the chapter’s member of the year, which I almost fell over when the name was called and it was … ME!
Talk about humbled and grateful. Writing is such a solitary career and for me to have found such a talented and supportive group of like minded friends and fellow colleagues that I can call on makes me feel truly blessed. I will cherish my RWA service pin always. Thank you RWA/NYC with all my heart!
And then to top it all off another fabulous thing happened this weekend when my 2nd book: Seduction’s Canvas was one of 12 Crimson Romance books picked as part of the Amazon Big Deal and are on sale from now until December 22nd for only $.99! Just click to the link on the right for Seduction! Cheers to romance!
All the best,
KMJ
Getting Wordy with Words of Lust author Lise Horton + a Giveaway!
It’s a lovely day over here at ye old blog and an exciting one as I’m so pleased and honored to welcome my dear friend and fellow RWA NYC chapter mate, Lise Horton. Lise is here to discuss writing, life in the NYC and her fabulous debut novel out from Carina Press: WORDS OF LUST. Believe me folks this is one you don’t want to miss and a voice you will not forget.
Thanks so much for being here today, Lise. I’m so thrilled to have you over at ye old blog!
Since I am a long time, ardent admirer of KwanaWrites, I am totally tickled to be here!
First off can you tell is a little about WORDS OF LUST?
This novel, my debut, is a contemporary, New York City-set erotic romance in which two very different people are brought together by fate and discover that love – and lust – can overcome all those obstacles: Age differences, IQ, disparate occupations, and even sexual history.
WORDS OF LUST is a pretty saucy (I adore that word) title. What was the inspiration for that? Did you come up with it or was it an editorial collaboration?
The idea for the novel itself was the final line of James Joyce’s Ulysses – the famous line where Molly Bloom climaxes, “. . . I asked him with my eyes to ask again yes and then he asked me would I yes to say yes my mountain flower and first I put my arms around him yes and drew him down to me so he could feel my breasts all perfume yes and his heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will Yes.” I created a woman who hasn’t had the experience of the heroines of the classic erotic fiction she teaches. My original title was Words of Love but it was decided it was not right for an erotic romance. And since lust figures prominently in my story as Nick and Serafina’s relationship blossoms, it seemed quite fitting.
WORDS OF LUST is a bit of an opposite attracts story (as many of the best are) tell us, what made you pair a professor with a construction worker? Sidebar: Don’t we all love a man that’s good with his hands?
I adore opposites attract stories because I love lots of conflict that my hero and heroine have to deal with, and what better than coming from different worlds. It adds another lovely layer of complication and conflict, both internal and external. Nick and Serafina learn to discover that the truth, is hearts don’t recognize class, or wardrobe or bank accounts. And they’re also forced to navigate the sometimes choppy waters of society where loving outside of your group can get sticky. But in the end it allowed me to give my readers that terrific happily ever after and reinforce once again, that love can conquer all.
You are a New Yorker, what does the city mean to you and how does it influence your writing?
I lived the first year of my life on the West Side of Manhattan. As a child and teen I visited often the historical monuments, the theatre and museums here. And I’ve spent my adult life working here at various jobs, and in various neighborhoods throughout the City. I lived here for a decade (6 apartments in 3 years before finding my HEA apartment – pre-war, doorman building in the West 50’s – where I got my inspiration for Serafina Luca’s apartment) before moving back to LI to take care of my Mom. So I’ve experienced this grand and glorious metropolis during all the stages of my life and just can’t get enough of it. I am continually both awed and inspired by the life, the energy, the history and the amazing diversity here, both of experience as well as the citizens themselves. As a writer, I have my entire “world” right at my fingertips. So I am incredibly lucky to be able to use favorite neighborhoods, the habits of city dwellers, and attractions like the High Line, to give atmosphere, character and immediacy to my story. And these are a people I love to portray on the page! Like they say, there’s a million naked stories in this City (OK, so I took a bit of liberty there!)
Now for my favorite question, tell us the story of your “overnight” success.
As a former singer and actress, I’ve always gotten a kick out of that concept. In fact, while I’ve dabbled for quite a while, I didn’t get totally serious until 2008. That was the year I completed my first full-length novel. I started submitting in 2009, and made my very first professional sale in 2011: A short story called Share and Share Alike in the Ravenous Romance anthology, My First Threesome. The big moment came in November 2012, after I survived Hurricane Sandy and ten days in the dark in the aftermath, AND the ice storm that blew in just when the lights when on. (Although I can now brag I’ve cooked pasta on a hibachi and held back the darkness with my trusty book light and lots of great romance novels.) As you can all imagine, I was pretty burnt out about then. Then I received “the call” from Angela James at Carina Press. And it’s been a storm of a much more delightful nature ever since.
Lastly, what can we look for next from you?
I’m very excited to be finishing up book two in the Stellato Siblings series. I’ll be doing some revision and polishing before sending it off to my super editor at Carina Press, Alissa Davis. So I hope everyone crosses their fingers for me that she loves it as much as I do! And in the interim, I will have my short story “My Master’s Mark” included in the upcoming Cleis Press print anthology “Slave Girls”, edited by D. L. King. The story is dark – and it is pure erotica – but incredibly romantic (kinky, but romantic). I’m very proud of it, and thrilled to be in the company of some of the top writers of erotica in fiction today.
Thanks so much for being here today, Lise. What a great treat!
I cannot thank you enough for having me here, Kwana, and for being my friend, and being here to celebrate our mutual publications! Here’s to many, many more great love stories and thundering applause for all the readers who can’t get enough of them.
Lise Horton is a native of NYC and a Long Island suburb. She loves her rescued fur friends, her special needs brother, her mom, and writing books that make readers fall in love – and be just a little afraid. Words of Lust from Carina Press is her debut novel. You can find Lise at her Website: http://bit.ly/1aRWECL and Words of Lust can be found on Amazon: http://amzn.to/19UmTfe and at Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1cZjZqV Happy Reading!
Now for some BONUS fun! Lise will give away a digital copy of Words of Lust to one lucky commenter. So please comment away and be sure to leave your contact info. A winner will be chosen on Friday by 12 noon EST. Thanks Lise 🙂
All the best,
Kwana
Author photo thanks to katana-photography.com
Fashion, Art and Romance
Howdy! I hope you’re having a lovely one. Please join me today over at fellow Crimsonista, Synithia Williams blog where she interviews me and I’m talking about a few a my favorite things: Fashion, Art & Romance. Click on over here to see what I have to say. Thanks Synithia!
Édouard Manet (French, 1832–1883)
Lady with Fans (Portrait of Nina de Callias), 1873
Oil on canvas; 44 1/2 x 65 9/16 in. (113 x 166.5 cm)
Musée d’Orsay, Paris, Bequest of M. and Mme Ernest RouartAll the best,
KMJ
image from here
Fated… Interview with the author: Becky Flade
Hey there lovelies. It’s a great day at ye old blog today because we have with us my fellow Crimson writing sister, Becky Flade here to tell us about her spanking new release from Crimson Romance: Fated Souls. Just released on Monday, April 15, right in time to perk you up after those pesky taxes.
Here is a bit about Fated Souls: Investigative journalist Maggie O’Connell went from hard hitting exposés to alien abductions in the blink of an eye, but she did it with style. Her next big lead takes her to northern Minnesota hot on the trail of a werewolf and straight into the arms of Aidan Gael, a horse rancher with way more secrets than he has friends. Maggie may get the story but the man who shares the wolf’s compelling green eyes may end up with her heart – provided they can keep each other alive.
KMJ: Wow Aliens, werewolves, oh my! It all sound pretty fantastic what got you into writing paranormal romance?BF: I have a seriously over-active imagination and three brothers. I sat through every horror, sci-fi, superhero, mutant, alien invasion movie, television show, cartoon, you name it, that you can imagine growing up; the majority ruled. We did not watch a lot of pretty little pony and princesses at our house as kids. Ha! And I’d put my own spin on things. What can I say…I like football, a really cold beer and the supernatural. I’ll take Batman over Carrie “what’s her name in the city” any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
KMJ: Have you always been a fan of romance? When did you first fall for the genre?
BF: Yes, always a fan of the genre. I’m a hopeless romantic thru and thru! I still have the first Harlequin Presents I read. My mom tells this story of me as a toddler playing on the floor as she was watching Barbra Streisand’s “Funny Girl” and at the end of the movie I burst into tears. She scooped me up and I wailed, “She loves him and he doesn’t love her!” It probably started then.
KMJ: So you have your pick: an alien, a werewolf or a rancher and they are all hot, which one do you choose?
BF: In this post-Patriot Act environment the poor little hot alien would have mean-Mulder after him 24/7 and I’m sorry but I’m a homebody, a nester, I need a guy that can settle down. And as for the werewolf, well frankly, I live in the city; we have leash laws….need I say more? Well, hold on, he’s hot, there’s a leash, hmmmmm…. No, no, scoop laws too that is not sexy no matter how you phrase it. Rancher. Definitely the rancher.
KMJ: Good pick! Tell us a bit about your writing process are you a plotter or a pantser or a little bit of both?
BF: I’m a little bit of both. When I start I have a very good idea of what’s going to happen when and where, some might even refer to it as a plot. But I’ve never had a story go where I thought it would. Fated Souls started as a short, comic piece and that little scene is smack in the middle of the book.
KMJ: And now for my favorite question, can you tell us the story of your ‘overnight’ success?
BF: One of my brothers recommended I get on Twitter because an actor we both enjoy is ‘actually really funny.’ I was home from work with my youngest who was sick with the flu, messing around online while she was napping, bored. I remembered what my brother said and went on Twitter to check out that actor’s Tweets and I saw that Crimson Romance was accepting tweet pitches. I figured it would be a good opportunity to network and treated it like a writing assignment. You could have knocked me over with a feather when they contracted Fated Souls. That was January of this year.
KMJ: What can we expect next from you?
BF: I’m currently working on a contemporary romance about would-be high school sweethearts that get a chance at love nearly twenty years later.
KMJ: That sounds lovely. Now please tell us, where can our readers pick up Fated Souls and find you on the web?
Fated Souls is available at www.crimsonromance.com and everywhere E-books are sold. It will also be available Print-On-Demand later this year. And you can find me on my blog, Facebook or Twitter.
You can also pick up Fated Souls on Amazon here
Thanks so much for being here today. It was a real treat!
I loved it! Thanks for having me.
Go Becky!
All the best,
KMJ
La-La Leibster!
So I was tagged by fellow Crimsonista, the lovely, Lynn Crandall and given a Liebster Award. What is a Liebster? I’m not sure so let’s go to the old cut and paste for that shall we?
“The Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers. Liebster, I’m told, is German and mans sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome, so it packs a lot of punch.” What?! Now I feeling extra special. Thanks so much Lynn
Here are the rules for receiving the award:
1. Each recipient must post 11 things about themselves.
2. Answer the questions the tagger has set for you, plus create 11 questions for the people you tag to answer.
3. Choose 11 people (or thereabouts) and link them to your post.
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged.
5. Remember, no tag backs!Eleven Questions for You:
1. Favorite beverage? Diet Coke but I’m working on breaking the habit and subbing with the equally as addictive coffee so there’s that.
2. What makes you get up in the morning? Society.
3. Are you a countryside or city person? City.
4. Your best day was doing what? I’m living on the faith that my best days are still ahead of me.
5. What talent are you are willing to do in front of people? Not much. I’m in introvert. So I’ll say knit.
6. If you could go anywhere in time for a day, when would it be? That’s a tough one. I’d be tempted to go back to where I could prevent some sort of disaster but then you get into the whole back to the future thing and we know from Marty how that can turm out.7. Favorite color? Green- ish or black.
8. Longest you’ve lived in any one place? New York area all my life.
9. Favorite number? 4
10. Favorite book from childhood? Little Women
11. Best advice for others regarding anything? Get up.And now for my 11 questions to my Leibsters:
1. Heels or flats?
2. If you had your choice would you go out to dinner or stay in?
3. Savory or sweet?
4. What’s your favorite current earworm song?
5. Did you watch the Superbowl for the game or for the halftime show?
6. Drama or comedy?
7. Breaking it down Real Housewives style. Beverly Hills, Atlanta or New York?
8. Do you have a green thumb?
9. What is your favorite reading genre?
10. Wine or beer?
11. What are you grateful for today?
Now as for tagging… well since this has been going around and I’m late to the party I’m sending this out to all of you my bloggy friends as you are all true “Leibsters” in my book. So if you’ve not been tagged and would like to take on my probbing questions, please say so in the comments. I’d love it if you played. Have a happy and if you’re in my neck of the woods watch out for the evil Snow Miser!
All the best,
Kwana
The Next Big Thing… Who Me?
Everyone who follows me here on ye old blog knows how much I love a tagging game. Ok, stop making that face people. A girl can turn a new leaf. But really, this one was fun. The lovely Synithia Williams author of You Can’t Plan Love tagged me in this cool The Next Best Thing Game. The Next Big Thing? Wow, what a lofty name for a little game, but ok here goes… I’m in!
You ARE America’s Next… oops wrong show.
Here goes for real now…
What is the working title of your book?
Through The Lens
Where did the idea come from for the book?
It’s hard to remember but most likely a pretty busy day and I may have been craving an escape so I decided I’d write one. I also have a love and past history with fashion so it all just sort of came to me.
What genre does your book fall under?
Contemporary Romance/ Multi-Cultural Romance
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
For Mika I had a Nia Long from her Love Jones days in mind and for Ale, he has gone through a few stages and many actors, first there was the actor Kamar de los Reyes who played Antonio Vega on the now defunct soap One Life to Live and more recently the ultra hot William Levy.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Mika Walters is a normal woman working in the not so normal world of New York Fashion, as the long time assistant to photographer Alejandro Vargas she’s tired of being the girl in the background and is ready for Ale to finally view her with the same passion as he does his photographs.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
It will be published by Crimson Romance and available in ebook form everywhere September 3rd.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I did a rough 50,000 words of this book during a NanoWrimo month then I put it away for a long while. After picking it back up and looking it over I realized it was a mess and it took a long time to finish the last 10-15,000 words. It then took extensive editing to turn it into a story that made what I hope is some sense.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
The thought of comparing my book to anyone’s makes me nervous. I will say I’d love it if I can give the reader a feel good heartwarming story that makes them smile.
Who or What inspired you to write this book?
What always inspires me to write all my books is the need to get the character’s story out there. In this case with Mika and Ale I wanted to show the difference between how others see us and how we view ourselves.
What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Well, the fact that my hero, Alejandro has been described as hot may pique the reader’s interest. To get that note totally made me smile.
Thanks so much for tagging me Synithia. And now I’m passing the fun along. Let’s see… who should I snag? I’ll go with Suleikha Snyder, Laura Simcox, Megan Caldwell and Heather Rodney-Diaz. Have fun ladies!
Best,
Kwana
A Date with Destiny… Interview with Elizabeth Meyette
Today I’m proud to have fellow Crimson Romance (I still love saying that) author , Elizabeth Meyette on ye old blog. Elizabeth’s novel Love’s Destiny is a historical romance and part of Crimson’s official June launch. Go Elizabeth!
Before I get into the questions here is a bit about the book:
When Emily Wentworth’s father dies at sea, her father’s friend—and Emily’s appointed guardian—Jonathon Brentwood arrives at her home in London to take her with him to the colonies. Emily, just 17, has decided that she is fully capable of taking care of herself and sets out to prove that to her new guardian.
Emily’s one chance to remain in London is to marry, but when the opportunity arises, she knows she would rather follow Jonathon across an ocean to a land in upheaval than to stay safely in London.
But Jonathon’s involvement in patriot activity against England disturbs—and threatens—Emily, a loyal subject of the king. The colonial rebellion is the backdrop for misunderstanding, fear, mistrust, and danger. Will love’s destiny ensure that Emily and Jonathon stay together, even in the face of death?
Thanks so much for being here Elizabeth. First, can you tell us a bit about yourself? Have you always known you wanted to be a writer?
Hi, Kwana! Thanks for inviting me to your blog. I grew up in upstate New York, and now I live in Michigan with my beloved husband, Rich. We have a lovely family: our daughter Kate and her husband Todd, son Matt and his girlfriend Rachel, and daughter Kristin, her husband Tedd and our grandchildren Tommy and Molly. I know I was always a frustrated writer because when I taught all that wonderful literature to my high school students, I knew that writing books was what I really wanted to be doing. I retired from teaching early to pursue my writing career and I haven’t looked back. I say I “failed” retirement because I work hard every day. But it doesn’t feel like work because I love it so!
What drew you to writing historical romance? I’m a big fan of the genre and can’t wait to give Love’s Destiny a go.
I love learning about other places, and I am fascinated by the past. Imagine what it was like to eke out a living on the frontier or not have all the conveniences we have today. I always wonder what it was like for people back then and think of how strong they must have been. I had recently visited the Jamestown and Williamsburg Virginia area when I started writing Love’s Destiny, and I knew that was the setting I wanted. Plus the romance of the beginning of our nation…I couldn’t resist it! And I’m a sucker for a happy ending. When I finish a novel, I want to feel satisfied, sort of like justice was served, the good guys won, and the lady got her man.
Going from the blurb I can see that your heroine, Emily is young by today’s standards at 17, but I’m thinking appropriate for the time period. What made you choose that age for your heroine?
I did extensive research while I was writing this, and it was typical for young women to marry by age 17, even younger. But it was also common for men to be considerably older as Jonathon is at age 28. Because childbirth was so difficult, and infants often died, women had many pregnancies throughout their adult lives. Starting young was necessary.
If you were not writing what would you be doing?
Well, I would probably still be teaching, but my secret dream was to be a torch singer, dressed in sequins, draped over a baby grand singing in a husky voice in a smoky lounge.
LOL. I love that answer! Now my favorite bit, please tell us the story of your “overnight success”.
I’m so glad you put that in quotation marks to signify satire! My overnight success took 30 years. I wrote Love’s Destiny on a dare when my daughter Kate was an infant. Then it sat in my closet, as many manuscripts do, until I retired. Now I feel like I am giving life to my characters and I am so excited! I’ve been getting positive feedback and reviews from readers, and some good local press. It’s all a dream come true!
Wonderful! What can we expect next from you?
My friends who helped with editing and reviews are clamoring for a sequel, so I am working on Love’s Spirit. I think this might become a trilogy with Love’s Freedom as the third novel. Also, on our recent trip back to New York my d.a.m. inspiration (divine attendant muse) hit me with an idea for a suspense/paranormal set in the Finger Lakes region of NY. I’ve got the first page and some notes written on it and it’s haunting me already!
That sounds fantastic. Thanks so much from being here today and I’m wishing you much success with Loves Destiny!
Thank you, Kwana. And best of luck to you with the release of Through the Lens!
Thanks so much. You can find Elizabeth on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elizabethfmeyette and her blog http://elizabethmeyette.blogspot.com
And you can get Love’s Destiny over at Crimson Romance here
Best,
Kwana
