Pin Me Down… ATL bound!
This week I’m heading to Atlanta and the Romance Writers of America National conference. I can’t wait. As a romance writer I’ll get to attend workshops on both craft and career and as fan all get to see, meet and interact with some of my favorite authors and some new and old friends. It should be a fantastic time.
If you are in the Atlanta area on Wednesday please come on out to the Literacy Autographing which is open to the public. Details here. You’ll get to purchase books from many of your favorite authors and have the signed. I can’t wait. I’ll be getting quite a few books signed by my faves and it’s all for a great cause. And if you happen to see me, though I won’t be signing, don’t hesitate to ask me to get pinned.
You see, I have these fab pins made up for the conference. Wouldn’t you love to be pinned by Mark Thorn, my hero from Seduction’s Canvas? I know quite a few people who would. I’ll be back with you all soon and checking in on twitter as the week goes on. Have a great one!
Now if I could just stop packing shoes….
All the best,
KMJ
G.M.L.
Putting these words on repeat after a weekend full of amazing highs and such low lows. I got to see love fulfilled when I attended the wedding of good friends where I toasted and danced and made merry with so many that I love. But then later that evening to turn around and see justice denied had me going to bed with a heavy heart to a restless night’s sleep. Though as the mother of young black teens it was not my first and I daresay it won’t be my last. But one thing I know is it takes some valley walking to get to the base of that mountain and start your climb. So climb I shall. Climb we all shall. It’s been done before.
Here’s to the week ahead.
All the best,
Kwana
Image fm tumblr
Life Companion?
So I got a new phone yesterday. After much wrangling in my mind (and on-line, on twitter, and with in-store sales people) between the eye and the Galaxy I decided to go with the Samsung Galaxy for my new phone. I was this close to the iPhone and just going with the flow of my family, but the sales person was truly working hard to tell us the expandable benefits of not being tied to the i world (something I did agree with). That said my house is now a house divided with 2 going to space and the Galaxy and 2 going natural with the ifruit (it’s the ladies vs. the men which should be interesting).
Something I found funny in a funny odd sort of way was when I finally got my new phone up and going, the home screen came up it called itself my “Life Companion”. Wow, tall order for a phone (And I’m thinking putting a lot of stock in a little device that may let you down if dropped in a toilet). It was a bit disheartening thinking of what the world has come to because we truly have made our phones our life companions, putting so much of ourselves online and in that little always handheld by our side thingy. Our schedules no longer written on pieces of paper, numbers no longer memorized in our heads, conversations no longer said face to face, even for lots of us, watches no longer worn on our wrists. Where would we be without our phones? Have they truly become our life companions? Tell me, what would you call your phone?
Right now I’m hard at work thinking of another nice new name for mine. Though loads of fun and I already love/like it, I’m definitely not making it my “life companion”. I’ve already got one of those and he snores… but at least he spoons too.
All the best,
KMJ
Head To The Sky
Don’t forget to look up today. You never know what you might see.
from along the Highline
All the best,
KMJ
The Heat is On
I planted some new flowers this weekend. A bit late in the season to do planting and also a lot hot for planting too. I sure hope they make it. The DS and I just about burnt up getting them into the ground. I was doing a Bill from True Blood while I was out there, good for a moment and then regretful, fearful I’d burst into flames if I didn’t get inside and quick.
This weekend I was also feeling the writing stress. It’s book 3 time and I know I need to just dive into her and get her done. I’m starting to get antsy, feeling the story must get out. And when I get that feeling I know that means no rest for me until the story gets out. And being the temperamental artist that I am that also means no rest for anyone else in my family because I’ve taken on the not so becoming quality of a growler when I’m under deadline and stressed about a story. The only cure is to write my way through the heat. So that’s what I’m up to this week. Writing through. What are you up to this week? I hope staying cool wherever you are.
All the best,
KMJ
Wash Up
A much needed cleaning. So necessary. Happy Friday!
All the best,
KMJ
Summer Stretch
Last week I got to experience yoga for a cause with my DD and it was wonderful to welcome the summer season by stretching outdoors and such a strange experience for me to feel the heat of the concrete under my back and legs. I don’t think it’s something I’ll forget anytime soon. I will say I woke up sore from all the downward dogs and planks, but by the next day the kinks were gone and I was left with a wonderful sense of relaxation and a reminder to stop and take a moment to appreciate the solid warmth of the ground under my feet.
Wishing you a warm and steady week ahead.
All the best,
KMJ
Summer Lovin’
Happy 1st Day of Summer! Wishing you a happy and relaxing weekend. I’m hoping you kick your feet up and possibly have some good reading planned somewhere in the mix. If you haven’t picked up Seduction’s Canvas yet I’d love it if you’d give it a go and if you have I’d love it if you’d hop on over to Amazon or Goodreads and give it your review.
Have a great one and be sure to relax and enjoy yourself on this first weekend of the Summer, maybe join my garden frog in a little sun salutation. I think I need to take some time to give him a paint job in the coming weekends. He’s looking a little chilly.
All the best,
KMJ
Write Your Way Out…
I’ve been feeling stuck with my current WIP and when I’m stuck I often use tricks, some good (character casting) and some not so good (snacking much) to find my way out of the dark hole of nothingness. Well, yesterday I did another thing that I often do and it’s something that I my current character does also. Buying a new journal to write a new start. Sort of a re-write on her life. I ran out and got these 2 pretty new Moleskin notebooks to play the “What If” game so that I can map out this book and finally get a handle on it in my mine. Sort of what my character Gabby does when things start to get all jumbled in her life. Wish me Luck. Let’s hope by the end of the weekend I have a roadmap to a full story or a least a clearer head.
All the best,
KMJ
It’s My Birthday… Holla!!
Whee!! It’s my Birthday! Time to bound out of bed as quick as these old bones will let me and do a
Happy Dance of thanks for making it to another birthday!
Am so grateful for being here amongst so many wonderful friends and family, to have the love of my husband and my children and I’m looking forward to a fantastic year ahead. I’m happy about having my 2nd book released with Seduction’s Canvas. I’m not looking for much by the way of gifts this year, except I’m just asking all my friends to tell as friend about Seduction’s Canvas and Samara and Mark. As a new author, spreading the word is all I want to do.
Besides spreading the word about Seduction, today I’ll be kicking up my heels as I try and pretend all the things I eat for the day are calorie free because they ARE since it’s MY BIRTHDAY!!! Then it’s onto writing my next book. You know me, I never stop plotting.
But no fear, It’s not all work. Since it’s MY BIRTHDAY I’m going to also dance. Starting with an oldie but a goodie hard rock (just like me) from Neneh Cherry! Please join me in rocking it out 80’s style! Cause you know, I never progressed all that far past ’89.
All the best,
KMJ
images from You Tube and We Heart It
