Get Ready for the Seduction… and a Giveaway!
First off, did you watch Scandal last night? Are you ok? Well I’m not, I’m hanging on by a exhausted thread, but I’m here… Whew. I’m still here.
That said, I’m up and chatting today about Coloring Outside The Lines over at Coffee Time Romance in the Latte Lounge along with some other super fab authors. We hope you’ll join us.
Also with the countdown to Seduction’s Canvas at T-minus 10 days….Whee… out May 27th! and ready for pre-orders now!
and in celebration of the chat today I’m giving away a 10.00 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner! The contest is open until 5/19 at 12AM
All the best,
KMJ
Good Morning Heartache
Good Day World. I’ve woken with a major migraine today and I’m trying to figure what brought it along. Could it be allergies, hormones, stress or could it be just be and my awful migraines or could it be something deeper like today being one of the most stressful days of the year doing that it’s the season finale of Scandal? Gah! & Wah! And Holey Moles Batman! Somebody Hold me!
Have I already gotten myself worked up and into a state over the state over Olivia and Fitz and my impending withdrawal? Good thing that after today I’ll have to go cold turkey with my Scandal sobriety. Oh well, at least I have tonight and one last bender to live it up. As usual you can look for my recap on Heroes and Heartbreakers tomorrow and you can also see my past ones there too.
Also tomorrow 5/17 I’m chatting with a great group off authors over at Coffee Time Romance and the subject is Coloring Outside The Lines. We will be taking questions, talking about our new projects and giving away prizes. Please stop on by and join in! Thanks!
All the best,
KMJ
Images thanks to Keep Calm-O-Matic and abcScandal Facebook
A Seduction…
Wow, it’s getting pretty real around here. So I’m not just published, but soon to be multi-published as my DH reminded me the other night. Eep! I have to say that the whole idea totally boggles this little mind of mine as I still find it hard that anyone even thinks of me a writer, you know, like for real realz. But that said, here it is, live and in color, the cover of my May 27th release Seduction’s Canvas. I hope you love it as much as I do. I think that Crimson did a fantastic job of capturing the strength and sensuality of my hero, Mark Thorn and the obvious, Vin Diesel factor I was going for when describing him. I just can’t stop looking.
“I want to paint you” Artist Samara Leighton had wanted to say those words to the sexy motorcycle rider who lived in the building ever since she first laid eyes on him nearly a year ago. But now that the words were out she couldn’t stop her heart from beating wildly in her chest.
“Honey, you don’t have enough paint to cover me.” Security specialist Mark Thorn didn’t mean to come off as a hard ass. As a matter of fact, he wanted nothing more than to let the tempting artist from across the hall do whatever she wanted to him and then some. But her haughty demeanor left the normally cool rider off his game.
Samara knew this was her only chance to live out her long-standing fantasy and she wasn’t going to let it slip through her fingers. She had very little time before her show was done and the pressure of her family legacy meant she would finally go through with living out her life under the umbrella of the Leighton name and its responsibilities. There would be no more downtown jaunts, lazy museum afternoons, and evenings spent lost in the magic of color and her canvases. And definitely no time spent holding tight to the muscular form of her dark rider while the horrors of her past and her cares drifted further away with each mile of road they covered.You can pre-order Seduction’s Canvas at Amazon or iTunes now.
All the best,
Kwana
The One
Happy Hump Day! Here is a picture of One World Trade Center that I took on Monday. Doesn’t it look fantastic? Not yet complete but almost there with its spire now hoisted up, bringing it to 1,776 feet and making it the tallest building in the Western hemisphere (sidebar: isn’t perspective a funny thing? It sure doesn’t look all that tall here does it? or I could just be thinking like a New Yorker).
This part of Manhattan is very much another character in my 2nd book; Seduction’s Canvas as it’s my hero and heroine, Mark and Samara’s neighborhood. I can’t wait to share their world and their love story with you in just a few weeks. You can pre-order your copy here now.
Gosh, I love New York!
All the best,
KMJ
May…
This month be all you could ever wish for….
It’s going to be a busy one for me. I have my next book Seduction’s Canvas coming out on May 27th so I’m preparing for that. And it’s already up for preorders so if you’d like you can get in on the party early you can here. Whee!
Not to mention the end of the school year is coming up too, so super busy times ahead with that. And then I have more writing surprises percolating on top of my October due conclusion to my Creative Hearts series. Yes, busy times for sure. But I do plan to take a moment to smell the roses this month and I hope you do too. Tell me what do you have going on this month? Any flower sniffing in your future?
All 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
Thrilling Thursday!
Howdy folks! It’s been quite the week and flying by too. We had a quickie snowstorm and then Spring sprung with more freezing temperatures and not a fine how do you do. Side-eye to that.
I continued on my World tour thanks so much to all of you following me, it’s so appreciated. I have another stop today over at Long and Short Reviews so please stop by there for another chance to win. And on top of all of that, with the week not even over, yesterday I got my edits for book 2 so it will be a busy next couple of weeks for me in the writing cave (note to self: get provisions ie: chocolate).
And then finally to top things off with the best news, I got my official release date and title for book 2! So that said… wait for it… Book 2 in my Creative Heart series will be out May 27th and called…
Seduction’s Canvas
Whee! I think I’m in love now and I can’t wait to share it with all of you when it comes out. In the meantime, though my books can stand alone it is nice to know all the players so look to the right and click on over to read Through The Lens if you haven’t yet. You won’t be disappointed.
BTW, Don’t you just love this pic of Edie Sedwick and Andy Warhol marrying Fashion and art?
All the best,
KMJ
Image fm here
Paperback Writer…
Talk about a dream come true. In addition to the digital version I’m so happy to announce that Through The Lens is now available in a Paperback edition. To have and to hold! Oh my goodness.
You can order your POD copy on Amazon here.
Thanks so much and please tell a friend.
All the best,
KMJ
Sunny Monday and winners!
Good morning lovelies and Happy Monday!
I’m a little (see a lot) tired this morning after a busy non-writing weekend with The DD who decided early Saturday morning that she could not live another moment without her mother. Nah! That’s not true. Though she missed me a bit, she really wanted to come home to get her hair done and begged me to come and pick her up for it. And yes, I relented (of course). But first I did the same thing she did and called my mom begging for someone to ride with. So I packed her up along with my sweet God daughter and we took a fun road trip checking out the gorgeous fall foliage along the way. Here is a lovely pic from on campus. What a day!
I went old school with pulling winners for Jax’s Date with a Siren contest and our winner are Toni and Stephanie! Congrats ladies. Please email me at kwanawrites (at) yahoo (dot) com with your info and Jax will be in contact!
Have a great week everyone!
All the best,
Kwana
Date with a Siren… author interview with Jax Cassidy plus a Giveaway!
Hello lovelies. Today on ye old blog I’m so honored to have one of my very good friends, the multi-talented and multi-published, Jax Cassidy! Jax is here to talk about and celebrate her newest release SIREN’S SEDUCTION. Welcome Jax.
J.C. Thanks so much for letting me visit your awesome site! I’m super stoked about being here.
K.M. Can you tell us about SIREN’S SEDUCTION?
J.C. I’m a sucker for love stories and this one is a sad one. It’s about two characters that are broken, have lived through hardships, that find each other through fate. There is a sprinkling of my Eastern beliefs woven into the storyline but the essence of the story is about overcoming obstacles, valuing yourself, and allowing yourself to give and be loved. This particular story is very special to me because it’s the first print contracted story that was released through a small press publisher. Recently, I got my rights reverted to me and decided to breathe new life into it. I also felt that because it had such a small distribution, it didn’t reach a wider national and international market…so now it will.
SIREN’S SEDUCTION
Niko Chow craves solitude. Only fate won’t leave him in peace. His desire to overcome his demons leads him to a promise made to a dying friend and into the arms of a seductive chanteuse.
Donovan Matthews ignites a passion within him he has long denied. The more time he spends with her, the more Niko finds her spitfire determination and generous heart as sensuous and exotic as the lotus blossoms that bloom in his garden. Can she end his internal war and help heal his aching soul?
K.M. That sounds way sexy and Niko seems quite tortured. Tell us what are your favorite types of heroes?
J.C. Definitely the tortured hero but more on the gamma side. I love me some dark, brooding, and passionate heroes but I don’t want a wuss either. I’m also not a fan of alpha heroes simply because I like my men to have a sensitive side. I feel it gives him the advantage over an alpha hero who always sets out to prove he’s the man in any situation.
K.M. What made you take the step into self publishing?
J.C. Honestly? While I was waiting on contracts with New York publishers, I didn’t want my readers to forget me. Self publishing gives me a lot of control and since I am the publisher, I can put out the story of my heart every time without making sacrifices. I feel I have an advantage over the general writer who self publishes stories without having any prior experience or knowledge of the industry. I’ve spent almost a decade being involved and learning about publishing which allows me to make the right choices that are both professional and beneficial to me as a writer.
I’m not out there putting up stories that I haven’t spent a great deal of time and effort into. I focus on re-writing, editing, layout, distribution, and everything in between while channeling the publisher’s mindset. There is a lot of time intensive labor involved and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. There’s not a product I would put out without being proud of the final product. I’m not saying it will be perfect but it will be as perfect as I can possibly make it. However, it’s still trial and error and I’m sure I’ll get dinged along the way but I’m prepared for it. All I can do is keep learning the craft and putting my best foot forward.
A lot of my NY published author friends have done exceedingly well and they’ve even passed on NY contracts to self publish, but that’s not my goal. Self publishing allows me to have the best of both worlds and helps build my readership for when I have books back in the brick and mortar bookstores.
K.M. Now I know you are a woman of many talents. Besides being an author you are a web mistress and graphic designer. How has this helped you with stepping into the world of self publishing?
J.C. I’ve worked many years as a marketing/art director for a successful international company as well as for a publishing company that prepared me to tackle self publishing. Being an artist and designer helps with the overall branding and packaging of my products. Right now it may be a one-woman show but I’m a control freak and I like things just right. Web design and cover or product design is therapeutic. It makes me happy to create something that is eye-catching and even prouder that my clients love it. I wouldn’t hand off a project without loving it completely because I am all about creating something special that I would do for my own self. It’s got to have a lot of love in it and I hope it shows through.
K.M. For fun can you give us a song that would be on Niko and Donovan’s playlist?
J.C. THE STORY by Brandi Carlisle. It’s such a heartbreaking song but totally defines what a person will do for love. It’s one of those songs that make me a weepy and the ballad is so haunting and emotional that I can’t stop listening to it.
K.M. What can we look for next from you?
J.C. There’s several stories in the works including a Christmas story for December, and of course, the upcoming release of SAIGON SUMMER in 2013 which is part of my charity fiction reads. I decided to release a book each year (if I’m not buried under deadlines) in which all author proceeds go to charity. This particular story is dear to my heart since it goes to my home country of Vietnam. For this release, I’ve picked charities that focus on fighting human trafficking and helping the survivors integrate into society again. I have a huge marketing plan and will involve live events to help raise awareness and serious dollars for these amazing organizations.
K.M. Where can folks find you and pick up Siren’s Seduction?
J.C. Readers can purchase my book on my website and almost all major online venues. The eBook is currently available and the print book is expected to be released in December. Since I love connecting to friends and readers on my social networks, I’m usually found frequenting Facebook or Twitter. I spend a great of time on Romance Divas since I co-founded the site. I wish I had more time in the day to add more social networks to my list but I figured my time should be spent wisely on trying to send proposals to my agent as well as writing regularly.
Website: www.jaxcassidy.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorjaxcassidy
Twitter: www.twitter.com/jaxcassidy
For writers & readers: www.romancedivas.comK.M. Thanks so much for being here Jax! It’s been a real pleasure.
J.C. Thanks, Kwana! I’ve had such a fabulous time and I hope that folks will give me and my stories a chance! For those totally new to me, I have a few free short HOT reads available on my website, Smashwords, Kobo, B&N and more…
K.M. Please leave a comment or question for Jax and 2 lucky folks will win a copy of Siren’s Seduction from Jax. Thanks Jax!
JAX CASSIDY followed her dreams to Paris, then Hollywood to pursue a film career but managed to fall in love with penning sexy romances and happy endings—finding Mr. Right was just an added bonus. She writes contemporary & paranormal romances and is Co-Founder of Romance Divas, an award winning writer’s website and discussion forum. Jax is also known as one-half of the retired writing team of Cassidy Kent. She is represented by Roberta Brown of the Brown Literary Agency.
