• #WeNeedDiverseRomance,  K.M. Jackson

    It’s an Excellent Day For a Cover Reveal

    Hello, my peeps and happy March to you!

    As always, I hope this finds you all healthy and doing well. I know, I’ve been gone for so long, but despite mostly just being in my office, I’ve been really busy and today I’m writing today with exciting cover reveal news.

    But first let’s begin at the beginning…

    It started with a tweet…

    And then….

    And then there was lots of writing and some of this…

    And now today I’m thrilled to announce that Forever Romance has dropped into the world my most excellent cover for my first novel with them called HOW TO MARRY KEANU REEVES IN 90 DAYS which breaks out on November 2nd of this year!

    So please, don’t keep your head in the clouds. If you love it as much as I do, then please preorder your copy today, tell your friends about it and add it to your Goodreads lists.

    I need you all to please help me share this exciting news.

    With your help and support we can make this one a sweet hit! 

    Thanks so much! 

    HOW TO MARRY KEANU REEVES IN 90 Days

    USA Today bestselling author K.M. Jackson delivers a hilarious road-trip rom-com perfect for fans of Meet Cute and When Harry Met Sally.

    Bethany Lu Carlisle is devastated when the tabloids report actor Keanu Reeves is about to tie the knot. What?! How could the world’s perfect boyfriend and forever bachelor, Keanu not realize that making a move like this could potentially be devastating to the equilibrium of…well…everything! Not to mention, he’s never come face to face with the person who could potentially be his true soulmate—her.

    Desperate to convince Keanu to call off the wedding, Lu and her ride-or-die BFF Truman Erikson take a wild road trip to search for the elusive Keanu so that Lu can fulfill her dream of meeting her forever crush and confess her undying love. From New York to Los Angeles, Lu and True get into all sorts of sticky situations. Will Lu be able to find Keanu and convince him she’s the one for him? Or maybe she’ll discover true love has been by her side all along…

    Preorder How To Marry Keanu Reeves In 90 Days

    Amazon: https://amzn.to/3cnQh1U

    Apple Books: http://apple.co/3cidJ0j

    Barnes and Noble: https://bit.ly/3bytLE9

    eBooks.com: https://bit.ly/3eokobQ

    Kobo: http://bit.ly/3qyMcN2

    Google Play: http://bit.ly/3eqUEM1

    Thanks so much. Wishing you all joyful reading!

    KMJ

  • As Good As The First Time,  book launch,  Books,  K.M. Jackson,  writing life

    Isn’t it sweet? As Good As the First Time is finally here!

    Well, it’s happening or it’s happened! AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME Book #1 in my Sugar Lake series is out and ready for the world! Now if I’m ready for it to be out in the world is another story.

    My dear friends, please join the sweet, pie tasting, honey loving fun and be one of the first to read AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME.

    canva as good as the first time taste

    I think you’ll really enjoy this new family I’ve created in the Goodes and I hope you all for my bee keeping, honey harvesting , fire fighting hero, Clayton Morris as hard as I did.

    I fell so hard for Clayton that I even made a little video for him. Enjoy!

     

     

    Order your copy of AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME today! Please and thank you!! *cut to me blowing all the kisses!*

    Amazon:  amzn.to/2FvOycU

    ibooks: apple.co/2IiFaav

    Nook: bit.ly/2FvR82Q

    Kobo: http://bit.ly/2Fv6Bfl

    Audible: https://amzn.to/2qadj4h

    Canva 11

    True to its name, the small southern town of Sugar Lake is a sweet place to visit—and you might even want to live there . . .

    With her big-city career and relationship in sudden free fall, Olivia Gale isn’t sure where she belongs. So when her help is needed at Goode ʼN Sweet, the family bakery in Sugar Lake, she jumps at the chance to indulge her pie-making hobby while getting her life back on track. Olivia’s not looking for any distractions. Even if the boy who once left her without a word is now a grown man with intriguing secrets—and the same tempting hold on her heart . . .

    A firefighter and single dad, Clayton Morris is trying hard to fix his past mistakes. He thought he was doing the right thing by leaving Olivia—and now he’s sure he has nothing to offer the accomplished woman she’s become. But ignoring the sparks between them is impossible. And as unexpected surprises and hard choices endanger their fragile reunion, they’ll have to decide which direction to take if they want to find the road back to love . .

    Oh and more super news! I have a giveaways going on too to celebrate the release of AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME! Please enter here my friend! Enjoy!
    A Sweet Reader Giveaway from K.M. Jackson

    Best,

    KMJ

  • As Good As The First Time,  book launch,  Books,  K.M. Jackson

    The Sweet Life is Coming from K.M. Jackson

    Hello Friends!

    Well, Fall is officially upon us and despite the chill in the air I’m feeling the heat, getting geared up for the upcoming release of AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME, book #1 in my new Sugar Lake Series!

    Thank you so much to those who have already pre-ordered their copies and spread the word about AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME.

    As many of you know pre-orders and first week sales are so important to an author and can make or break a book. That said, if you have not yet pre-ordered AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME please do so now. You won’t be disappointed and I’ll be so grateful.

    The praise has been outstanding for AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME.

    Canva 11

    Praise for AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME

    “A must read for fans of second-chance love stores and sweet small town romances.”—Booklist

     “A wonderful, heartwarming romance.”

    —Rochelle Alers, author of The Innkeepers Series

    “A damn-near perfect story of family, starting over, and second chances.”

    —Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author

    “K.M. Jackson gets right to the heart of family, to the heart of relationships, to the heart of love. She’ll get right to your heart, too!”

    —Donna Kauffman, Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author

    “A perfect blend of great storytelling, unforgettable characters, and a delicious setting. Aunt Joyce and her pie shop in Sugar Lake reminded me why I love books with cooks so much.”
    —Falguni Kothari, author of My Last Love Story
     
    “This is a story as sweet as pie, warm as a soft Georgia evening, and K.M. Jackson knows exactly how to feed her readers a book to be savored again and again.”
    —Barbara O’Neal, author of The Art of Inheriting Secrets

     
    “With her rich writing and relatable characters, K.M. Jackson perfectly captures the charm and enchantment of a small southern town.”
    —Farrah Rochon, USA Today bestselling author

    Pre-order your copy of AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME today!

    Amazon amzn.to/2FvOycU 

    iBooks apple.co/2IiFaav 

    Nook bit.ly/2FvR82Q 

    Kobo http://bit.ly/2Fv6Bfl 

    diverse collage 1

    Also I wanted to give those that didn’t know an opportunity to be aware of my #WeNeedDiverseRomance campaign. The need for more diversity and equality in publishing is dire and I along with many other have been striving for this. To that, wear your heart on your chest with a #WeNeedDiverseRomance Tee, tank or hoodie or take a sip with one of our mugs and let the world know what you think.

    All love is real love!

    Order your Tees, tanks, and mugs in BLACK here!

    and in WHITE here! 

    diverse romance mug tote a (2)

    Best,

    KMJ

  • As Good As The First Time,  contests,  giveaways,  goodreads,  K.M. Jackson,  Uncategorized

    It’s a #Goodreads #Giveaway!

    Happy official end of Summer and welcome to Fall!

    I hope the Summer treated you all well and that Fall treats you even better.

    To celebrate the new season and the upcoming release of book #1 in my new Sugar Lake series: AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME , which is out October 30th from Kensington books, Kensington is running a Goodreads print giveaway where they are giving away 25 copies of AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME!

    Click here for your chance to enter!  Hurry! Contest ends 9/15!

    It's a Goodreads Giveaway! As Good As the First Time

    Best,

    KMJ

     

     

  • As Good As The First Time,  book launch,  Books,  Cover Reveal,  covers,  K.M. Jackson,  Sugar Lake,  writers,  writing life

    How Sweet It Is… AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME Cover Reveal!

    *bites nails, holds breath then presses send*

    Yep, that’s me with excitement and trepidation about to reveal my cover for

    AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME: Book one in my new Sugar Lake Series, releasing October 30th, 2018!

    I hope you all love it. This is something entirely new for me. Kinda like my new glasses and my new braids, but lots more permanent and subject to just a smidge more public scrutiny given how rarely I get out of the house.

    Kwana FB Instagram smile

    But that’s a story for another day. When I come to AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME this city girl is hitting the road and leaving The Big Apple behind (seriously, my heroine hits the road) and heading to the fictional, southern Town of Sugar Lake, Georgia for this deliciously sweet romance.

    TA-DA!!!!!

    As good As The First Time (1) cover med

    True to its name, the small southern town of Sugar Lake is a sweet place to visit—and you might even want to live there . . .

    With her big city career and relationship in sudden free fall, Olivia Gale isn’t sure where she belongs. So when her help is needed at Goode N’ Sweet, the family bakery in Sugar Lake, she jumps at the chance to indulge her pie-making hobby while getting her life back on track. Olivia’s not looking for any distractions. Even if the boy who once left her without a word is now a grown man with intriguing secrets—and the same tempting hold on her heart . . .

    A firefighter and single dad, Clayton Morris is trying hard to fix his past mistakes. He thought he was doing the right thing by leaving Olivia—and now he’s sure he has nothing to offer the accomplished woman she’s become. But ignoring the sparks between them is impossible. And as unexpected surprises and hard choices endanger their fragile reunion, they’ll have to decide which direction to take if they want to find the road back to love . . .

    You can be one of the first to pre-order your copy of AS GOOD AS THE FIRST TIME HERE.

    All the best,

    KMJ

  • Books,  diversity,  K.M. Jackson,  The Betting Vow,  Unconventional Brides

    Always Bet On You

    So 2017 was filled with some ups and plenty of downers too. As a writer it was also filled, for me, with quite a few moments of doubt. So imagine my shock when I get a tweet the other morning from none other than the amazing, incomparable, QUEEN of all the words, Ms. Beverly Jenkins congratulating me on making NPR’s Great Reads 2017 list with my book THE BETTING VOW.

    NPR best books 2017E

    NPR best books 2017b

    I tell you all I could say was Huh? And What? And WOW!

    happy oh my god GIF by The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

    What an amazing moment and so very needed to end out 2017 and get me rolling into the 1-8.

    Here’s to us tacking it together! CHEERS!

    friday night fun GIF by Beeld en Geluid Labs

    Best,

    KMJ

  • Books,  K.M. Jackson,  my view,  writing,  writing life

    A Fine Romance

    Hi peeps!

    Hope you’ve all been doing well. I’m so sorry to have been MIA, but things in KMJ land have been as hectic as ever. I’m happy to say I’ve just written the end on book 1 in my new Sugar Lake series so yay to that! I can’t wait to introduce you all to these new characters and this tasty new town.

    berry pie

    That said I hope you all are great and have you picked up The Betting Vow yet? NPR calls it: “a satisfying romance that shows a wedding is just the beginning of happy ever after.”

    Canva In Love You Always Play to Win!The Betting VowOut NowfmK.M. Jackson (1)

    When it comes to love you always play to Win!

    The Betting Vow

    Amazon: http://amzn.to/2izySdL

    Nook: http://bit.ly/2ghcTaM

    iBooks: http://apple.co/2rOqKqp

    Kobo:  http://bit.ly/2qN8NKs

     

     

    All the best,

    KMJ

  • #WeNeedDiverseRomance,  book launch,  Books,  K.M. Jackson,  The Betting Vow

    Time to Place Your Bets: The Betting Vow Is Here from K.M. Jackson

    The big day has finally arrived and Book #3 in my Unconventional Brides Series:

    THE BETTING VOW is here!

    Canva In Love You Always Play to Win!The Betting VowOut NowfmK.M. Jackson (1)

    I’m so excited to share finally share the opposites attract, Married At First Night styled, love story of wildly sexy super model, Leila Darling and straight-laced television network executive Carter Bain with you all.

    Leila Darling is past done with the supermodel thing, especially the mega-parties and high-profile flings that have done nothing but leave her alone and jaded. She’s got the talent to be a serious actress, but the industry sees her as a high-maintenance, impulsive party girl with a reputation for leaving men in the dust—especially TV producer Carter Bain. 

    Carter’s had his eye on Leila for years, so when a bet gives him a chance to get close to her, he accepts. With the goal of getting Leila the image makeover she needs and Carter the star he desires, the game is on. Get married and stay married for six months. If Leila lasts, she gets her pick of his A-list roles. If Carter wins, she’ll take the hot sidekick part he’s offered.

    But as their “I do” turns up all kinds of heat, Leila and Carter find they have more in common than they ever imagined. Are these two prepared to put business aside and surrender the ultimate prize, their hearts?

     

    Order your copy of THE BETTING VOW at your favorite retailer:

    Amazon: http://amzn.to/2izySdL

    Nook: http://bit.ly/2ghcTaM

    iBooks: http://apple.co/2rOqKqp

    Kobo:  http://bit.ly/2qN8NKs

     

    Betting Vow Cover finalAnd now here is a sneak peek from Chapter One of THE BETTING VOW:

    Balancing on the hood of a sports car while slickly oiled up was a lot harder than most people imagined. Add to that doing it one-handed, because you’re holding on to a fully loaded burger. Plus, you are in a bikini and are wearing six-inch stilettos. Well, then, you’ve got yourself a straight-up high-wire act.

    Leila Darling tried her best to suck in her stomach, push out her behind, while simultaneously “making love” to the camera by puffing out her lips into a sultry, come-hither purse. She narrowed her eyes ever so slightly, as if extending a welcome invitation to wanton sex, while still appearing approachable with her version of the ever popular smize. Why it took this much sex to sell a hamburger still baffled her, but hers was not to reason why, since she was getting paid a small ransom to sit on the shiny car, be extra shiny herself, and make the Barn Burger the most lusted-after burger in fast-food history.

    “Give me more. Give me more!” yelled Matteo, the famed photographer, fighting to be heard over the blaring bass of the heart-thumping rock music in the studio. If you could call the rented garage space in a rather sketchy part of East LA a studio. The tips of Matteo’s dark hair, what little he had left, were bleached and spiked so that they stood up at odd angles, and he wore an excessive amount of kohl around his eyes, making his deep bags, which revealed age, all the more pronounced.

    “That’s right, Leila. Just like that. Oh, darling, you are selling it. Those eyes, those breasts . . . I’m getting hungry just watching you. You’re a sexual beast, darling!”

    Leila pushed back a sneer at the way the word darling rolled off his tongue. Though it was her last name, in her case the word could be used as a proper noun, an adjective, or sadly, as of late, a verb. “Pulling a darling” was used for all sorts of things, and none of them good. Such as wild clubbing until the wee hours of the morning. Though, for the life of her, Leila didn’t understand what was wrong with blowing off a bit of steam, throwing fits on sets, since in Leila’s eyes, demanding respect was essential in her business. But worst, in her eyes, was that now— thanks to her ex, well, her third ex-fiancé, Miles G, and that crappy song of his, his hit “Darling Leila”—“pulling a darling” was synonymous with being a man-eater who used men, made them fall in love you, but never committed to them. Of course, it didn’t matter that in all her terminal relationships, it was the guys who’d failed her, making promises they ultimately had no intentions of keeping. Giving her perfectly valid reasons to bail on the so-called relationships.

    So today, with Leila’s nerves already frayed, Matteo’s use of the word darling slid over Leila in a way that was too slimy and too personal and had her questioning his usage altogether. In the end, the sneer won out, and Leila went with it, her top lip curling as she looked at the photographer. Besides, the “sexual beast” comment had got to her, too. Especially now, when Leila considered herself in a career transition. She couldn’t just let a comment like that go unchecked.

    Sure, she knew she should be happy and feel accomplished as one of the few African American top models in the business, though her current case of burger hood dwelling would bring a question to that. Still, most would think Leila had it all and was living on top, but in reality, she felt something was sorely lacking. Respect. Leila wanted so very much to be seen as something more than a sexy body that could sell anything, be it fast food or French couture.

    Leila inwardly sighed as she recalled, while balancing herself precariously, one leg cocked up, the other pushing hard into the hood of the sports car, that a little over a month ago she’d been in Cannes, being celebrated as a breakout star in a less than breakout movie. Sure, she might have had only a few actual lines in the movie, and yes, she’d been brought on for her looks. However, she’d taken that part and run, showing she had chops, and for that she’d been rewarded for something besides the way she filled out a bikini top. Leila wanted more of that.

    But here she was, back home and back to the same grind. Stand. Sit. Turn this way. Tilt that way. Was it any wonder she was on edge? Add to it the fact that taking an early flight back from Cannes had resulted in the demise of yet another high-profile relationship. Leila was officially done with her life as usual.

    “Now take a bite. We want to see you eat it,” Matteo said, his voice piercing Leila’s musings and pinging her nerve endings with its raw excitement, so much so that Leila didn’t quite know if he was talking about the burger or something else that she didn’t want to touch.

    Leila let out a low breath and went in for the burger, but then, as if on cue, the music in the studio changed and on came the familiar first thumps to the song Leila was fast growing to hate. “Darling Leila.” Would she ever escape Miles or that damned song?

    “Oh yeah!” Matteo yelled, now smiling wide and circling her with his camera as he clicked, clicked around her. Each click of the shutter felt like a tiny prick to her skin.

    Leila shot Matteo a death stare but then forced her features to soften as she glanced over to the side of the room and saw the group of execs from Burger Barn huddled in the corner, looking at her expectantly. Bills needed to be paid, and for that to happen, the customer was always right. Leila reminded herself of this tried-and-true mantra as she let out a sigh and softened her features again, going on automatic pilot as she mentally blocked out the song that mocked her and Miles’s now failed relationship and, worse, all her relationships before that. She took a hungry bite of the burger, imagining for a moment that it was the head of the photographer.

    Method acting. Zone it out, woman. Use that anger.

    Just then her agent and longtime friend, Jasper Weston, stepped into her side view as he went over to glad-hand the Burger Barn folks. Leila took another bite of the burger. This time it was Jasper’s head she was biting off, as she remembered it was he who had told her that taking this job would be a good idea.

    “That’s it, Leila,” Matteo finally said. “Though, maybe next time you could go at it with just a little less enthusiasm?” He lowered his camera and turned toward his group of assistants. Leila noted that they were all young and all blond, whether male or female. It would seem Matteo had a type and stuck to it through and through.

    “We’re going to need another burger on set,” he said to no one in particular before turning back to Leila. She hoped that the actual food handlers picked up on his query and that it wouldn’t be one of the Stepford blonds who handed her the next burger. “How about we get ready for the next set and wardrobe change, but before that we’ll do the rain sequence?”

    Rain sequence? Since when was a rain sequence on the shoot list? Leila thought as she looked around for a rain machine. She saw none. It was then that another on set blond assistant came over and took the burger missing two bites from Leila’s hands and scurried off into the background. Then another young woman came toward her with a large hose and a dubious look in her eyes. Instantly, Leila stiffened.

    “No way, honey,” Leila said with a sharp look at the young woman. “You come at me with that hose, you’d better be prepared to eat it.” It was as if the whole garage had got put on mute, as all heads swiveled Leila’s way. She saw Jasper smile uncomfortably at the Burger Barn people and take a step forward.

    “Aw, come on now, Leila, darling,” Matteo began. “We need a shot with you wet on top bookmark-2inx8in-h-frontof the car. You moving around for me. Doing a little dance. Selling those burgers as only you can.” And with that, the damned near geriatric photographer standing in front of her, holding his camera at his side, mimed his version of sexy dance moves, rubbing his hands over his body, bringing them up and, to Leila’s revulsion, licking his fingers.

    Leila looked at him in horror and then blinked her way out of the shock of it all and leveled him with a hard glare. “Like I said, little Miss Assistant of the Corn here is not coming near me with some dirty-assed water hose. Now, if you want to try, you can, but I warn you, you won’t like where the hose ends up in the end.”

    And with that, Leila slid her oiled body off the car as gracefully as she could and walked off set toward her makeshift dressing room, Jasper following quickly behind.

     

     

     

    I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek: Get your copy of THE BETTING VOW today!

    Amazon: http://amzn.to/2izySdL

    Nook: http://bit.ly/2ghcTaM

    iBooks: http://apple.co/2rOqKqp

    Kobo:  http://bit.ly/2qN8NKs

    Thank you for your support

    and I’m wishing you Joyful Reading!

    Betting d

    (Me with my lovely author copies and trying to wrangle Jack in for a pic- He’s not happy or impressed.)

    KMJ

    #WeNeedDiverseRomance

  • #WeNeedDiverseRomance,  book launch,  Books,  K.M. Jackson,  To Me I Wed,  Unconventional Brides

    The Wedding Day Is Here! It’s To Me I Wed’s Release Day

    Who says dreams don’t come true?

    I’m happy to say that today another one of just mine did. To Me I Wed, Book 2 in my Unconventional Brides Romance series is out now from Kensington Books. I’m so proud to bring the unconventional love story of Lily, the accomplished event planner, and Vin, the bad boy chef, to people.  I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. This story was a true labor of love and with it I left a lot of my heart on the page.

    To Me I Wed Ack Nana

    You can pick up your copy of To Me I Wed where ever books are sold or as any of these e-tailers:

    Amazon: http://amzn.to/2krfm26
    Barnes and Noble: 
    http://bit.ly/2nr6hFs
    iBooks: 
    http://apple.co/2ojumlK
    Kobo: 
    http://bit.ly/2mVZGa2

    And please head over to Tia Kelly’s, Tia with a Pen’s blog here to get an exclusive To Me I Wed excerpt and please subscribe to my newsletter  – to be in the know about my monthly giveaway-

    and also enter this month’s $25. gift card giveaway!

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    Thanks to all of you for your continued support. It means the world to me.

     

    All the best,

    KMJ

  • #WeNeedDiverseRomance,  diverse romance,  jack,  K.M. Jackson,  Sugar Lake

    Bright spots and Deal News!!

    Hello peeps! I’m so sorry it’s been a minute since I’ve been here, but I’ve been a busy bee as you will soon see and I’m wishing you all well and hoping for Spring to bring us warmer weather and sunshine soon (I say this as I look out my window at falling snow, yet again, and take antibiotics fighting off an ear infection).

    Yeah I’m over Winter.

    All that said, there are some bright spots. I have some fantastic deal news that I can finally share. I’m so thrilled to say my lovely and fearless editor at Kensington Books is taking me on for two more novels in a brand new fish out of water small town series! The series will be the SUGAR LAKE series and the first book is tentatively titled:

    As Good As The First Time (release date to come- see the pic of the deal announcement below).

    Sugar Lake Deal news

    And if you follow me here or on other forms of social media (twitter @kwanawrites or Facebook )  you’ll know I had an article in a local paper which I have come to find was shared with another local paper and, funny how these things go, was seen by Jack’s vet. Well yesterday I nearly broke out in tears when I got this sweet note from Jack’s vet office. I tell you people can be so kind and generous at times. And I’m so grateful for that. Talk about a proud moment of being a fur baby’s mama!

    good news scarsdale and deal

    Kwana and Jack 3

    Thanks for hanging with me and all the support. You don’t know how much it means to me. Or maybe you do.

    I think you might. Once again I hope all is well where you are.

    Sending wishes of Lovely Reading!

     

    All the best,

    KMJ