• Book Expo,  Books,  K.M. Jackson,  my view,  Uncategorized

    Me… Out and About

    Happy New Week and Happy New Month!

    June 1

    This has been a busy few days with the annual book expo at the Jacob Javits Center. It was a bit tiring but also nice to see so many out and so much excitement going on about new and upcoming books. I was able to snap quits a few pics with my phone so I’ll let another collage do the talking for me here.

    It was great to see come of my friends getting to sign copies of their books like Falguni Kothari with BOOTIE and THE BEAST and Eileen Palma with her debut WORTH THE WEIGHT. Also check me with the amazing Loretta Chase and do you see the legendary Ms. Brenda Jackson and Ginger Jamison and is that Tiffany Reisz and Megan Hart? Oh yeah! And down in the corner, yes that is THE Billy Idol. I know, insert earworm here. LOL. We had so much fun. And I’m totally blaming Falguni and Alyssa Cole for the Batman/Spiderman pic. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

    BEA collage a

    I’m excited to say that I’ll be signing copies of my books (Through the Lens, Seduction’s Canvas, Threads of Desire & Bounce) this month at The Romance Festival put on by my RWA/NYC RWA chapter and being held on June 14th at the historic Morris-Jumel house in Washington Heights in New York City from 1-4:30. The admission is free and there will be readings from the authors as well as some exciting talks and the books from many NYC authors available for purchase. If you’re in the city on that day please come on out and see us. Check this great line up:

    The Morris-Jumel Mansion

    65 Jumel Terrace

    (between West 160th & 162nd Street)

    Nyc,_Morris-Jumel_Mansion

    Admission is FREE!

    Guest Speakers:

    Anna DePalo (USA Today Best Selling Contemporary Romance Writer: The Romance Genre)

    Elizabeth Mahon (Scandalous Women: The Lives and Loves of History’s Most Notorious Women)

    Carol Ward (Director Morris-Jumel Mansion: The Loves of Eliza Jumel)

    Panel:

    For Love and Liberty:

    Multicultural and LGBT Love Stories during the American Revolution

    With – Stacey Agdern, Alyssa Cole, Lena Hart, and Kate McMurray

    Tours of the Morris-Jumel Mansion will be available throughout the day!

    Oh and finally this bit of coolness: My book is being featured on Tuesday June 3rd 2014 at eBookSoda, a new readers’ site where they’ll send you ebook recommendations tailored to your taste. www.ebooksoda.com. Check me out! Yay 🙂

    Have a great day!

     

     

    All the best,

    KMJ

  • authors,  Book Expo,  Books,  my view

    …Aaand That Was When I Lost It… BEA 2013- a pictorial

    Happy week everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I had a super busy one and a  busy end of last week with Book Expo being in town and me excited to head on down there in my capacity as a blogger for here and a sometimes contributor for H&H ready to read especially with Scandal being on Summer break. Well, I did got off to quite a rocky start when I got there and was told my credentials had been denied and for no other reason besides me being a blogger (and me getting no prior notification). You would have thought that was when I lost it, but no. Let’s just say there were a few heated moments where questions were asked and not answered and there was talk of banning which could have been interesting but never happened. Oh well, now that could have made for some good press.

    Complications aside, I forged ahead and had a wonderful time picking of tons of new and exciting books and getting glimpses of some of my favorite authors.

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    One book by a new author that I’m so excited about is The Returned by Jason Mott. Jason will surely be a new voice to watch and I hear his book is already in talks for a TV series.

    Check out the fabulous, talented  and gorgeous Academy Award winning actress Octavia Spencer signing her new middle grade book.

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    Here I am with the amazing Brenda Jackson. And oops, she has now re-named me her author stalker. I’m sure she’s saying thing lovingly and won’t call on security when the day comes that I’m finally signing right beside her (fingers crossed).

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    Me and my new BFF Megan Hart. She said it first! LOL

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    And in more excitement I snagged an autograph from Lauren Weisberger for her sequel to the Devil Wear Prada called Revenge Wears Prada. Another, I can’t wait to read.

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    Oh and here are a couple of the Ellora’s Cave cover models playing rock, paper scissors in between signing calendars.

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    I also met the charming Elizabeth Gilbert and got an autographed copy of her latest book: The Signature of All Things. She was so sweet and kind when I told her want a fan I was of Eat, Pray Love.

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    And finally despite there not being an actual copy of the new Bridget book, Mad About The Boy (which I’m still working on getting a copy so that I can do a review) I waited on the longest line ever (I called this guy Smiles to pass the time) to meet Ms. Helen Fielding.

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    Well, you would have thought I was meeting the President. The closer it got to my turn the more I turned into a Bridget. By the time I got to Ms. Fielding I was stuttering and stammering and telling her what an inspiration Bridget Jones’s Dairy was to me and how I was now published ( Seduction’s Canvas) partially because if it and her. Lawd, I just went on and on. Well, it was then that she looked me in the eye and took both my hands in hers and in this lovely, just as I thought it would be, British accent said, “Well done you.” 

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    Aaand that was when I lost it.

     

    Have a great one!

     

    All the best,

    KMJ.

     

  • Book Expo,  Books,  my view,  Real Housewives of NJ

    BEA Afterburn

    So as I write this Book Expo BEA12 little mini wrap I’m sitting with a heating pad wrapped around my neck. I tell you nothing can prepare you for a day of walking up and down the length and width of the Javits center with your purse slung across your body and then being offered advanced reading copies of books, glorious, books! For a confirmed bookie like me it’s just too hard to pass them up hence the heating pad today.

     

    Check out my haul!

     

    I also had a couple of celebrity spottings while there for my quickie day. The very first book I got when I hit the floor was arguably (?) the most controversial cookbook ever from Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Teresa Giudice, Fabulicious! Her peeps were handing out her book and she was signing and taking pics as she had with the previous book the year before. The funny thing is I was just on twitter the night before having a RHONJ talk and she came up. So when I got up to her I told her I had been twitter chatting about her and told some people that I thought she was not like you see on TV in person and I found to be warm and lovely. Well, she turns to me (IMO very sincerely) and says, “Really you said that about me and you met me last year? Thank you. Thank you so much for that. “ Then she puts out her hand to shake mine. It was sweet. Now, I know it’s all still a hot mess over in Bravo Jersey but, Tre was once again ok with me. Sidebar: I really need to learn to pose better. Ugh.

     

    My next great sighting was with the fantastic bestselling romance author, Brenda Jackson who was signing at the Harlequin booth. When she asked who should she sign her book to I told her, my mother, since my mother will probably steal it anyway so why should I fight at anymore? She laughed and another woman laughed behind me at my funny story. I then heard this woman say to her, “Can I take a picture with you to put it on my Facebook page?” I sort of knew the voice so turned around. It was Judge Lynn Toler from Divorce Court! I think she was at BEA signing her book on marriage. But how much do I love that she’s a romance fan too? Hmm wonder if she’ll read my book when it comes out in September? Well, me not being shy, asked to get a pic of the two of them and if I could post it here. Aren’t they cute?

     

    All in all I had the best time! I also scored an ARC of 50 Shames of Earl Gray the 50 Shades parody by Fanny Merkin aka Andrew Shaffer. I was so lucky to get this book because Andrew’s line, as in all things 50, was off the chain crazy.  Makes me think I’ve got to get on that 60 Shades of Jack calendar as previewed on my Pinterest. LOL.

    And I got to hang with Katiebabs and Stacy (Love Love Stacy for being all organized and a pre-plannerly, yay for friends like these). Then made a new bud in, Marnie so score there.

     

    All in all a great day, minus the shoulder pain, of course.  Time to get reading.

     

     

    Best,

    Kwana

     

     

  • Book Expo,  book launch,  my view

    It’s an Expo People!

    For the past two days I’ve been down at the Javits Center walking then hobbling my way through BEA – Book Expo America. The yearly event where who’s who or wants to be who in publishing comes out to show their wares.

    What a wild time. The book lives! My back and feet? Not so much. Seriously have I met a book I didn’t like or couldn’t pick up? By day 2 I decided to bring and check my rolling case to carry them all back to my car.

     

    As you can see from the mob scene at the Harlequin booth romance is surely in the air. As I was on line I heard one savvy woman say to a male colleague, “Yes, Blank I read romance.” I gave her a thumbs up as she went to get a book signed by a favorite author.

     

    I saw and hung with so many fun people, The wonderful Sue Grimshaw, Leanna Renee, Katiebabs, Janicu, Young Liberian (Katie my expo pal)! Thanks for the great line chat.

    I was so happy to meet one of my favorite authors and twitter friend Victoria Dahl there.  She was sweet to recognize me from my tweets and run around her signing table to give me a hug.

     

    I also got the new book from Sarah Wendell from Smart Bitches Trashy Books–  Everything I learned About Love I Learned From Romance Novels. I was a lucky one as her books were gone in a flash.

    Sarah Signing Katie’s book

     

    I also stood in a crazy long line for Jimmy Fallon’s Thank You Notes Book.  Seriously it was like waiting for a roller coaster at Six Flags. But on the up side they handed out the book to those waiting in line so we all had good laughs there and meeting Jimmy was lots of fun.

     

    Another great meet was Mindy Kaling from the office who has a book coming out soon. She was smart sweet and funny. Chatting and taking pictures. Don’t ask me why I stood next to her, what a beauty, but she was so engaging that I fell right in. And my eyes are closed too. Ugh and Sigh.

     

    And thanks to the fab Ellen –Confessions of an It Girl for hooking me up with Melanie- The Coupon Goddess and Rene Syler –Good Enough Mother. And yes, it’s that Rena formally of CBS The Early Show.  That Ellen she always knows who will get along with who. We had so much fun walking the floor together and sharing a great lunch.

    L to R- Rene, Melanie, Ellen

     

    Thanks to you all my old and now new friends made. I wish I could list you all.  Until next time see you on the blog or twitter!

     Best,

    Kwana

  • Book Expo,  book launch,  Books,  jack,  my view

    Comic Craze

    Happy Memorial Day! Hope you all are enjoying a wonderful holiday. Jack and I plan on doing the usual and chilling close to the DH as he handles the grill. Can’t go wrong there.

    If you remember last year at BEA I was all excited over the Pride and Prejudice comic. This year I got Sense and Sensibility. How cute is it? I also picked up a comic from James Patterson which is exciting for all his fans that go that way. It seems that comics though many of us my have left them before Archie made a choice (did he really marry Veronica?) is very much here to stay and blazing new trails. Do you read comics?

     

    Best,

    Kwana

  • authors,  Book Expo,  Books

    I Haz Books!

    What’s Jack up to? Jack’s been a funny one. Honing his skills at owner training. He’s getting really good at getting us up and out and doing what he wants. Hanging around the kitchen at the perfect time to con the right individual out of a little morsel of something special. We are failing terribly. All the while he’s just as wild as ever. Barking like mad at whoever dares walks by our house let alone darken our door. Oh Jack.

    I had quite a few questions as to what books I got from Book Expo o9. Now some of my friends were not the book slut I was and did not get much of any at all. And in all honestly I didn’t actively seek out that many books. The moment I walked in a sweet young woman handed me a book on money. I couldn’t say no, could I? And of course I was with Katie from Babbling About Books and that woman can get a book. Lucky me.
    I guess I was in the right places at the right times. So here’s my haul:
    DD is in book Heaven too.
    Gotta remember to check my horoscope. Wonder if the DH and I are compatible? Kinda late all these years later.

    And then the comics. My comic loving neighbor is very happy.

    Do you see my Pride and Prejudice and the pretty Wizard of Oz?

    Check out this great book. It’s already been decided that Jack’s somewhere between a Red and a Yellow. We have a lot of work to do. Sigh.

    Best,
    Kwana