Kenzie's Place

Adding To My List Of Things To Do....

2012-01-30T08:01:00.000-08:00

I've decided to join our church choir.

Why?

For one thing, the choir director has asked me several times in the past two years; plus my daily QT has been about using our gifts/talents to glorify God and encouraging people to be active in Church life. And so I slid into my pew yesterday and opened my weekly bulletin:

"We need help....our choir is looking for new members...."

Ok, Lord....I get the hint....

My previous objections were,
1) I'm not Catholic, so would I be comfortable staying by myself while the rest filed up to the front? I already do it, and the choir doesn't perform that often at the front of the church anyway, so who cares if I don't partake?

2) The spouse isn't happy with the two nights I'm already gone; is he going to object to this? I asked him. He said he didn't mind. I reminded him this would be every Wednesday, after the youngling's practice. Again, he said he didn't care. The big test will be when the choir starts singing at various Masses....

3) I'm on a perpetual sinus alert. But I already sing karaoke, despite my stuffiness or having diminished hearing in my right ear, so what's stopping me from the choir? I love to sing; Becky needs members; I'm going.

Again, just wait until Lent, and I have to attend a different service. Will the spouse start griping then? We'll see!

"I'd Like To Thank The Academy..."

2012-01-13T17:51:00.000-08:00

Oops...that should be READERS....Seriously, I feel as if I've won an Oscar. Last weekend, I received an email:

"Kenzie, did you know Teacher's Pet was nominated in the P&E Best Romance Book category?"

No, I didn't. I'd been voting every day for Carol Preflatish's book, Saved By The Sheriff, and had noticed TP wasn't there on the first day. Apparently, somebody penciled me in; I didn't know we could do that! This was Sunday afternoon; the poll closed Tuesday evening. I promptly went on a wild 'vote for me' spree, since I was currently in a 13-way tie for 22nd place. I wanted to make the top 20, at least!

Imagine my surprise when I checked back (usually 3-4 times a day...okay, maybe more often than that, lol!) and watched my name rise into the teens....approaching the top 15....and then challenging Carol for the 10th spot. And when the official results were in, Teacher's Pet ended up in a 2-way tie for 11th; Carol's book was 9th, and another SCP author was in the 10th spot.

So thank you, whoever nominated my book in the first place! Either I've got great friends, or someone out there really likes that book!

And speaking of my first 'baby', I received this in the mail on the 10th:

"OMG! This book is hilarious! They are like bunnies but it's also very sweet..."

And today....

"Teacher's Pet was one of the best books that I have read so far this year. I would also put it up against everything I read in the last two years in fact. The only thing I could fault with is that it ended."

Thank you!!!!! As soon as I get the link to her full review, I'll post it.

Not a bad Friday the 13th after all!

Also, earlier this week, my editor contacted me about Class Reunion, so it looks as if that book will be releasing this year! And, managed to sell one copy of Appetite For Desire last month, so hey....people are starting to notice me:) Right now, we're in the cover stage; trying to match up pictures a friend sent me and trying to see if one of her poses can be used in the cover. Since B happened to be one of the people responsible for the brainstorming which led to Class Reunion, she and I thought it would be neat to use her as the model. And thankfully, Marci agrees. B and K (the other person responsible for coming up with details in CR) are tickled beyond belief.

Online Overload Or Just Catching Up?

2012-01-07T12:37:00.000-08:00

First of all, in order to win a Kindle Fire, see details here. Molly's got all the links on her blog.

I don't know if I'm still in catch-up mode from the holidays, or just experiencing internet addiction, but it seems my computer time needs adjusting.

Do you remember the Daughtry song "Home"? The bridge of the song says, "Be careful what you wish for; you just might get it all; and some that you don't want..."

Since 1985, I've dreamed of being published. And it came true first in 2003, then again in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, and it looks as if I'll have four more released this year.

Since joining a local crit group, I've lamented the need for a laptop, and was finally rewarded one last year.

And since experiencing wifi, we purchased a router but it was several months until we figured out why it wasn't working properly. And now three people can be online at the same time, in different rooms of the house.

So why am I complaining? Maybe it's online overload. I find myself getting stressed if I realize it's 10am and I still haven't checked my twitter account. Or that it's noon and I'm still in my jammies, catching up on face book. The SU asked me the other day who were all these people I was telling him about, and suddenly I couldn't remember where I'd actually 'met' some of them. Was it on an author loop? Face book? Or through another Face Book friend? In other words, they are people he's never 'met'. And rolls his eyes. Just like when I 'forget' he's not as invested in my characters as I am.

Ever have conversations like this?

Spouse: What are you thinking about?

Me: Wondering if Natalie's hair is shoulder-length or longer....and if she's got a perm.

Spouse: Who the hell is Natalie and why do you care about her hair?

Me: Well, I'm about to write the dance scene and wonder if she'd want her hair up in bun or loose-

Spouse: Oh, you're talking about the damn book again. I thought it was a real person!

Remember when the only thing you had to do when you sat down at the computer was check your email, then bring up your document and write? Now it's check email, social media, chat digests, chat loops, blogs, email account again (or even a different one!), then get up and stretch or force yourself to eat lunch or even close down the computer for a while. But then later you're back....and go through the list again...and suddenly it's two hours later and you STILL haven't opened your document.

Or maybe my current disillusionment is because I've been swamped with edits the past six months, and have barely been able to put down new words? Yes; the thrill of having a new release is still with me; I'm not so jaded that it's 'just another day'. No; I celebrate; I make the family take me out to lunch or dinner; I drink wine; I give treats to my crit group and karaoke peeps.

But something's going to have to give, if I want this to continue. I'm either going to have to not be so nosy about my 300+ friends statuses, or only clean out my spam twice a day instead of every other hour (lol!) and get back to the business of writing; else I'm going to have a very long dry spell between books, considering five of them are still swirling around in my brain and due to be released around the year 2014, if I can buckle down. I really prefer not to keep you hanging any longer than necessary!

Anyway, Happy Birthday/Anniversary Secret Cravings:) And good luck to whomever wins that Kindle Fire!

Catching Up

2012-01-02T06:29:00.000-08:00

Where did the past week go? I'm so disoriented about time/day/dates it's a good thing we have one of those daily calendar things in the bathroom! Forget the actual calendar; if I don't know what day it is, what good will that tell me?

Sigh....it's hard to believe this time last week I was packing in a fog, not knowing what clothing to take or even knowing how long we were staying at my parents' house. I think I cried every day last week.

But now it's a new year; a new week, and new challenges to face. If you stopped by my post yesterday (today IS Monday, right?) over at The Writer's Evo blog, you saw my goals for the coming year. Some are rather ambitious (de-clutter my house? Move us into a better house?), while other are dependent on outside forces (IF my spouse is awarded his disability, and IF it comes in time for that trip in August and IF the spouse agrees to either take us or let me go down there) and sales (did you notice Teacher's Pet was finally released three weeks ago? Spread the word; I need a nice fat royalty check in April, lol!).

Seriously, I'm thinking of making some changes around here. Since my campaign to join the TWE was successful, where does that leave my blog? Maybe I'll begin posting twice a week here, instead of once a week or hit-and-miss. Would you like that?

I'm also catching up on stuff which happened while I was busy baking/editing/celebrating/grieving. For instance, my publisher's 1st anniversary Blog Hop. I'm due to post on the 7th and am just now getting around to posting the details. Why is it everything in my life happens at once? I guess it keeps me on my toes, lol!

Anyway, go here for the blog hop details and good luck! I'd like to win a Kindle Fire also; I think my Sony bit the dust the other day. I'll find out when I charge it back up.

CBLS 12 Days of Christmas:)

2011-12-16T07:34:00.000-08:00

I'm over at Coffee Beans and Love Scenes today, participating in their 12 Days of Christmas giveaway party. So come by and enter to win a copy of Teacher's Pet:)

See you over there:) Happy Friday!

And The Winner Is....

2011-12-14T08:43:00.000-08:00

(drum roll).....

Amber!

And since I had such an overwhelming response, I picked another one.

Janice!

Congratulations ladies:) I'll be emailing your book shortly.

Thanks to all who participated and have a Merry Christmas!

Molly's 2nd book will be re-released hopefully next week, so check her blog for details:)

It's Here! It's Here! It's Here!

2011-12-13T05:54:00.000-08:00

I was beginning to think this day would NEVER arrive! But today's the day and one lucky commenter will win their own hot-off-the-conversion-file pdf copy:)

Enjoy!

Taking a firm grip on her courage, she drove to his driveway and walked up to the porch. Her resolve weakened after she knocked on the door. This is stupid. You haven’t acted this way in over fourteen years. What’s he going to think about you showing up at his house and demanding he take you to bed? Is that how a grown woman with two children acts? Grow up, Tammy! Besides, the man should do the pursuing, not the other way around! Oh really…and what about equal rights? Don’t I have the right to demand sex just like men do?

Her internal war vanished when Kevin opened the door and swept her into his arms, closing the door behind them.

“You have driven me crazy for three days. The problem can wait. I’ve been wanting to kiss you ever since Saturday.” His tongue swept across the corners of her mouth, and, with a sigh, Tammy melted against him, answering his hunger with her own.

She tugged at his sweatshirt, wanting to run her hands up his hairy chest and over his rippling muscles. He worked it over his head, looking surprised when she threw off her own sweatshirt and pressed his naked torso to hers. He groaned and lifted her up, carried her to the bedroom, and left a trail of clothing behind.

“What brought this on?”

She peeled his athletic pants to his ankles. “I’m horny and pressed for time. And it’s all your fault.” She sank to her knees to take his length in her mouth.

* * * *

“Horny and pressed…” his thoughts went out the window; the suction caused him to forget everything but her delectable mouth and tongue.

He buried his fingers in her loose hair, gathered it up, and massaged her scalp. “Tammy…sweetheart…”

He tugged her head back and lifted her, positioning her on the bed. He kissed her, tasting himself on her tongue and reciprocated, spreading her legs wide. Her naked pussy glistened with moisture; he slipped a finger into her slick entrance, hearing a faint cry of pleasure. He added two more digits, and her muscles clenched. He leaned forward, stroked her petals with his tongue, and lapped at her clit. She came in a rush and cried out his name. When the initial tremors faded, he removed his fingers and snaked his tongue inside. Her moans increased. Kevin eased upwards and slid his cock inside. He intended to tease her and take it slow, but she grabbed him, and his dick slammed inside her to the hilt. She screamed. He backed off and plunged again. She obviously wanted it hard and fast. Kevin bucked himself forward several times, certain he was hurting her, but she either didn’t care or didn’t notice it. Finally, Kevin’s own passion peaked, and he emptied himself inside her, feeling as though her contractions would snap his cock in two. He collapsed beside her, cupped her generous breasts, and kissed her, loving the damp warmth of her skin beneath his fingertips.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“Why is it all my fault?” He rolled her nipples between his fingers.

“Because…you’ve unleashed something inside me. Something that’s been lying dormant for the past several years. Oh, God,” she sighed as his fingers glided down to her clit again. She shifted onto her back and spread her legs wide. “Oh, God, Kevin…I’ve felt like something was missing all weekend.”

“Something missing?” He propped himself up on an elbow and continued to watch her reaction to his easy exploration between her thighs. “Like what?”

“Your cock.” She reached up and kissed him, throwing her leg over his hip. “Make love to me again?”

Like what you're reading? Buy it here:
http://www.freyasbower.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7&products_id=273

One More Day!

2011-12-12T08:40:00.000-08:00

Back in 2003, I met a young man at a ball game. He bore a startling resemblance to my Soul Mate, and since I'm a (cough) happily married woman, I controlled my urge to openly ogle him. I had taken my kids to baseball practice, and decided to watch the girls' softball game while I waited.

Imagine my surprise when Mr. Hotness came up the bleachers and sat beside me, talking to the Math teacher in front of me. I wondered if he was the boyfriend of one of the softball players; a teacher; or just a student. Since I knew the Math teacher, I felt comfortable listening to their conversation.

And that's when the conversation turned to educational standards. Mr. Hotness mentioned he'd taught in Florida; great! This made him a colleague, since I worked at the school. I asked him what part of Florida he was from, and the answer?

"Tampa-St. Pete."

Oooooohhh! My summer home! I mentioned my connection to the area, and we had a wonderful conversation. And then reality set in.

"Mom? Can I have some money for the concession stand?" My eight-year-old daughter tugged at my sweatshirt.

I told her to go find her father and turned back to the two men.

But he refused to talk to me after that. I spent the rest of the time watching the game silently drooling over his profile until it was time to leave.

Fast-forward to October.

I'm now five months pregnant with my youngling. I was looking for my son's Social Studies classroom and walked into the wrong one. The teacher took me across the hall and there was Mr. Hottie! I literally spent the next few minutes listening to him rave about my son while half my brain was screaming to lock the door and have my way with him! I left that conference praying I sounded like a coherent adult parent instead of a raving hormonal teenager with her first crush!

Fast-forward again to October 2007:
I had decided to try NaNoWriMo for the first time and the authors I was chatting with on a daily basis encouraged me to spice up my sex scenes. I decided to fictionalize the above scenario at the ball field and imagine what would have happened if I was single and he was interested:)

I sent off the first few pages to see if the heat level was 'hot' enough; the answer a resounding 'YES! Keep going!'

And so Teacher's Pet was 'born'.

So there's the story behind the story; come back tomorrow for an excerpt and release day party info!

Checking in.....

2011-12-07T06:40:00.001-08:00

My alter-ego's been deep in her editing cave, and I've finally been able to poke my head out to breathe! In case you missed it, I did post my Best. Appetizer. Ever over at the Writer's Evo blog and nearly blew up the blog with 18 comments! Thanks to everyone who stopped by! This week's topic is the year-end check of New Year's Resolution/Goals. So stop by the Evo on Sunday; I'll try to wrangle the computer again on Friday or Saturday.

Right now, I'm in the midst of holiday baking. Molly's through with her 1st round of edits, so today we're baking cookies and going to pop into Amber's chat over at LRC. And maybe she'll let me post a little promo for Teacher's Pet, which arrives in six short days:) You can pre-order it here, and I've already got a party planned, plus karaoke next Wednesday. So watch for details!

In the meantime, I'm about to embark on a sugar high, until Molly's editor send her back to the cave. Hopefully round #2 won't take as long!

My Inner Demons

2011-11-19T03:30:00.000-08:00

Forgive me; I saw the topic for this week and all of a sudden Fleetwood Mac's 'My Little Demon' is going through my brain!

Okay; focus, Kenzie....what demons follow me around?

Wait; maybe I need to introduce myself? I'm Kenzie Michaels; my stories are on the tame side of the Adult Contemporary Romance genre; and currently three books are published, with a fourth due out any day now and two more pending. I've known most of the other writers of this blog for several years, and have a confession: I've been writing my own essays each week and following their blog topics in hope that one day I might be invited to 'fill in' or even invited to join. And voila! Here I am, to brighten up your Sunday afternoon.

So with that out of the way, back to my demons:

a) Demon of insecurity. I've never been comfortable in social settings unless I had a friend along, but I've noticed that in the past several years I'm finally comfortable in my own skin. I'm not sure if maturity has suddenly caught up to me, or it's the influence of a good friend, but I've been singing karaoke now for a year. The first time I stood up, my knees shook and I held the microphone too far away from my mouth. But last week, I had no problems singing duets with people and not caring how I sounded. I'll even tell the karaoke goddess, "Don't applaud that! I was horrible!" and graciously accept the thanks of those who cheer my name!

Insecurity also rears his head when I receive edits or cover art. I'd rather have a second opinion if I'm not sure how to fix a scene, or disagree with my editor. And the same goes for cover art; I've only had two covers which I 'knew' were the right ones. And I'm grateful for friends who take time out of their busy schedules, since I still consider myself a 'newbie'.

b) Demon of head-hopping. Back in 2007, when I discovered the joys of networking with other authors, I also learned the rules had changed, considering how scenes were constructed. I wrote in the style of my favorite books: Danielle Steele, Judith McNaught, Kathleen Woodiwiss. Now all of a sudden it's a no-no to switch POV's in the middle of the scene. I still struggle with this, though I'm getting better.

c) Demon of not speaking up/confrontation/defending myself: This is a biggie. I'm a people-pleaser who dislikes confrontation. And I'm married to a man who likes to raise his voice. A lot. So I tend to let him have his say, and then fume about it, especially if I think he's wrong. And the times I do argue back, my problem is overcoming his objections. I saw this when I tried sales; I've never been good at persuading strangers to buy something they don't want. I've had some high-pressure salesmen talk me into buying things, but I didn't enjoy them afterward. When I buy something, it's because I WANT it, not because I want to shut someone up.

The demon I have conquered? The 'yes' demon. I'm more comfortable telling people 'No; I'm too busy.'

So what about you?

Did I Mention I Like Reader Comments?

2011-11-17T06:06:00.001-08:00

This just made my day!!!!

"I love the Kenzie Michaels books I have had the pleasure of reading and found it very interesting what you do when your book is released. I think the least you should do is the chocolate part...who doesn't deserve chocolate when you release a new book? Seriously, I like the synopsis of Teacher's Pet and will definitely be buying it."

A hearty THANK YOU!

Guest Blogging and Epic Fail Part 2....

2011-11-16T06:06:00.001-08:00

First of all, I'm over at Tina Donahue's blog, and there's a sneak peek at the upcoming Teacher's Pet posted, so come by and say hi? Please?

Secondly, when I reposted what I thought was one of my funniest Epic Fails, I failed to recall another one. Ever get a message and totally misunderstand the instructions? This happened in college, and all I can say is, thank God the guy was patient!

Aug 1986:
For a little background info: My roommate and I had stored our belongings at a friend's house, since we were attending the summer session a few weeks later. In late June, when we arrived to pick them up, our friend met me at the door and told me one of his friends wanted to get in touch with me. The name wasn't familiar, but as I was between boyfriends at the time, I told him to have him call me.

And for three weeks, no phone call, so I put him out of my mind.

My roommate and I had taken jobs at a local restaurant, and split the shifts during the week. She took M/W; I took T/Th, and on Fridays, I worked in the kitchen while she bussed tables and vice versa on Saturday. We weren't old enough to wait tables, since this was also a bar.

Anyway, one day I came in from class/dinner/playing Euchre (don't really remember!) and E met me at the door with a phone number.

"He gets off work at 5 and wants you to call him." It was the friend of my friend.

E was getting ready to head to work (it was Wednesday), so after she left, I looked at the clock. Nearly 5, so I decided to give the guy time to get home and settle in before I called.

6pm: I dialed with semi-shaking hands. And turns out he'd left a message for me to call at 5, and had just spent the past hour thinking I was uninterested in him. I told him the reason behind the delay, and he laughed.

"I was going to invite you over for dinner, but I went ahead and ate. What are you doing tomorrow?"

I explained my work schedule. "So not to sound arrogant or anything, but if you want to meet me, it would have to either be tonight or you'll have to wait until Sunday."

We also talked about how he knew me, and when he described who he thought I was, he was dead wrong. I'd never worn a beret in my life, and the last time I'd worn knickers was in the 6th grade. So now he was even more curious as to what I looked like!

"How about I finish up some things around here and come get you in an hour? We'll go out for ice cream."

"Sounds good to me." We hung up.

An hour goes by and my phone rings. My room was the first room past the lobby doors, so I asked him if he was facing the wall with the phone or the front desk.

"The wall; why?"

I opened my door and stepped out into the hall. "Turn to your left and look through the door window. I'm the one waving at you. Have you ever seen me before?" He certainly didn't look familiar!

"No; I don't think so. Do you still want to get ice cream?"

"You bet. Give me two seconds to hang up and grab my keys."

We went out for an enjoyable evening and had a wonderful six-month relationship, marred by only three misunderstandings.

-He was newly divorced, so I assumed he wasn't ready for a serious relationship. I found out later he'd instantly flipped over me and assumed since I was ten years younger, I couldn't possibly feel the same way about him. So we never expressed our true feeling for each other until it was too late.

-It was during this turmoil that I accidentally cheated on him, which caused us to be miserably apart for 5 weeks. He was taking a night class at the university, and one of my friends in my 9am class was also in his class, so every M/W/F she'd greet me with 'Did you talk to him?/He's miserable without you/'

'He ended it; he needs to make the first move.'

'Funny, he says the same thing about you!'

So finally when I received my graduation notice, I took a firm grip on my courage and called him, fully expecting to either get the machine or have him hang up the minute he heard my voice. But he picked up.....and we talked. And talked. And he ended up coming to get me and I spent the weekend with him.

-After we'd been apart two months after graduation, I missed him so much, I got clingy. And it basically drove him into the arms of another woman, who married him six months later, only to divorce him when SHE graduated. And in 1990, he and I were back on friendly terms, only this time HE was living with someone. When I happened to be in town one day, I stopped by to see him.

'Y'know, V's getting ready to move out. If this had been next week, our reunion would NOT be taking place in my living room. We'd be in there.' He pointed down the hall.

I went home and thought about it. Two weeks later, I called him to see how he was doing.

"Hey, congratulate me: I'm getting married!"

"You are? Congratulations!' (Well, I guess that means I don't need to ask off for the weekend...).Turns out his girlfriend had changed her mind and once again, my decision to give him more time had backfired.

Fast-forward to 2006. I'm married; he's married. My family ended up moving back to town. Some mutual friends showed up at Christmas and wanted me to go with them to see him. I declined, since my hubby knew him but didn't particularly like him. I figured it's a small town; surely I'd run into him somewhere! I did send him a postcard announcing my book signing in Evansville in 2008, and put a personal note, asking him to attend. And when he didn't, I took that as a sign he had no desire to renew our friendship.

And three weeks ago, I received the sad news he'd passed. Last week, I met his 6th wife and we actually hit it off. She knows some of the people I knew back in 1986, and was able to fill me in on everyone's happenings. She misses him, as do I. I regret the missed opportunities, but as I told her, I have some wonderful memories of the time I spent with him. And that I will never regret.

Auto Technology 101

2011-11-14T17:45:00.001-08:00

For the past several years, my most hilarious 'comedy of errors' involved one of my husband's trips to the hospital, which you can read about Here

The following is a reprint of my vehicle issues/woes from May 2008. Enjoy!

Maybe I should have taken it?

First the computer gods laughed at me yesterday.

Today, it's the automotive gods who are having a field day.

Let's recap the past year:

April 2007: I'm halfway to my convention in Fishers, IN when my van refuses to go faster than 30 MPH. The kind person who let me use her phone graciously took me to my first stop; my friend's house, where my father was waiting to meet me. He was intending to pick up my 3 kids and take them home with him. Little did he know he would first be taking me to Fishers...And later, all it took was a $5 fuel filter repair.

December 1st, 2007: I'm scheduled to go to Muncie, IN, to be a part of the Midwest Writer's book signing. I'm only four blocks from home when I stop to buy oil, and the brakes suddenly lock up. I can't go forward or backwards! Two hours later, hubby gets it fixed and is totally perplexed at why it happened when the phone rings. Forget Muncie; I have to drive to Noblesville in order to get one of my best friends, as her mother just passed away, and she needs a ride to Evansville.

**The following is in reference to a book signing I set up in Ft. Wayne, IN, a four hour drive for me. I was supposed to leave by 7am and arrive by noon. Through another comedy of errors, I wasn't able to honor my commitment, and the other author (and the bookstore manager) were rather upset with me. I was furious at both myself and my undependable transportation.

Last Saturday: My son takes my van to Walmart for a forgotten item and calls 30 minutes later to say the van refuses to back up, and the transmission is screaming. Hubby babies it home, and further inspection shows we're gonna need a new tranny. It's okay; Jackie says she needs a day with 'the girls' and says she'll drive.

6:15 am Today: The phone rings. I smile and pick it up, expecting Jackie to say she's on her way. Nope. It's her hubby.

"Got a slight problem. Apparently I hit something last night, and there's a 4-inch gash in the sidewall of one of the tires."

Ouch. And the tire repair shop doesn't open until 9am.

Ouch, ouch, ouch! But, there's a good side to all of this: 1) my kids were early to school; 2) Kelly gets to hold down the fort for the first two hours until we get there; 3) Mikey stayed in his cage all night; 4) I had time for more than one cup of coffee!So just pray everything goes well the rest of the day? Please?

And let's hope that when my next event rolls around, which is the Cincinnatti trip, all vehicles are in good, working condition!!!

We now have a family joke; we don't tell the van we're leaving the county!

You Like My Book!!!

2011-10-18T07:34:00.000-07:00

Just saw something which made my day! A reader commented the following:

"OMG, Wild At Heart... just read it... LOVED IT!!! Kenzie. you rock... felt like I was there, absorbing every word, i stayed up til 3am to finish, I think the only thing that would have been great was if Ethan would have gotten with Lori after Rehab lol."

It's like winning an OSCAR; complete strangers tell you they LOVE your work, and suggest ideas for sequels:)

As for costumes....each character tells me what they're wearing. And the only time I've done a Halloween Party, I've based their costumes on past experience:

For example, my alter-ego's characters attended a 'Come As Your Favorite Fantasy' party, and dressed as punk rocker; a flasher; a mechanic; Dracula; and Army get ups. In a later book, they would dress as Robert Palmer's Back Up Singers and yes, even had a Robert Palmer. They compete in a Halloween Costume contest against a pregnant nun, a Coke can, M&M candy, and Hershey's Kiss. Amy and Caty dress up as Dorothy and Glenda from Wizard of Oz, and Amy even refers to a previous Halloween when Matt gets the wrong costume, ruining her plans.

Maybe I need to incorporate a Lady Gaga costume into one of my next stories?

"Why Don't You Understand? This Is The Story Line!"

2011-10-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

Scene: Friend of Kenzie's house, with Barbie Townhouse.

Kenzie holds Malibu Barbie, dressed in silver sheath and Lillian, Barbie doll with changeable hair, dressed in tennis outfit. Both dolls are on top floor 'bedroom'. Obviously Barbie is getting ready to go to a dance with Ken, and Lillie is helping her.

Downstairs, K holds Ken, dressed in formal wear. A smaller doll, Skipper, 'answers' the door.

Skipper: Hi Ken. Barbie's upstairs.

Ken: I'm ready to take her to the prom.

(Barbie gets up and gets in elevator to go downstairs): I hope I look alright, Lil.

Lillie (follows Barbie to elevator): You look GREAT! I wish I could go.

Barbie: Maybe Ken's friend Tom will be with him.

Both dolls arrive downstairs and greet Ken.

Barbie: Ken, where is Tom? I thought he was going to take Lillie.

Ken (looking puzzled. K roots around in toy box and finds the Lone Ranger): Am I late? Oh...you're Lillian? Gee, you're taller than I am.

Lillie: You're wearing a mask? I want to see what you look like.

Tom: No can do, ma'am. I've got to be able to save damsels in distress at any moment. And I can't be recognized. Can you ride a horse?

Lillie: Uh, Barbie, I guess I'll sit this one out.

Skipper: I'll go! I love to ride horses!

Tom and Skipper go off. Ken, who's been propped up beside the townhouse, turns to Barbie: Shall we?

Kenzie: Are you insane? Skipper can't go to the prom with the Lone Ranger; she's only in the 6th grade!

K: Well, at least she's shorter than Tom. What boy wants to be seen with someone who towers over them?

Kenzie: He was supposed to throw her over her shoulder. Then at the prom, while dancing to "Close To You", he agrees to take off his mask and they fall in love....and then some bullies try to take Barbie away from Ken and a fist-fight happens, so everyone escapes on Silver after the tires are slashed on the camper....

K: I don't want to play anymore. Let's go outside.

**************
The above scenario is one reason I liked to play by myself. I had the story line mapped out, or at least somewhat developed in my head, and couldn't understand why it wasn't 'obvious' to my playmates. I couldn't TELL them what was going to happen; I just 'knew' it. And it wouldn't be for another three or four years before I had the skills to WRITE it down.

I acted out my own continuing version of movies and books. And got frustrated when no one wanted to go along with it. And when my hormones kicked in at age 14, I inserted myself into romance novels, mainly the civil war era or Victorian historical ones.

I devoured Jean M Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear and especially Valley of the Horses. And when I got to college and found out how much fun sex could be, I started writing it. But there was a problem: I was so descriptive, the only thing I could find in comparison was found in my dad's Playboys (my sister and I used to get them out and make fun of the girls. I loved reading the comics though!). But what good Christian girl read that sort of thing? So I put them away or in one case, destroyed it.

And then in 2002, I found the Ellora's Cave site and ordered two books. And a whole new world opened up! Here were the books I wanted! And I didn't have to be embarrassed, because no one could see me with them in my hand at the store! (Yes, I've been too embarrassed to check out or buy the Kama Sutra, and it took me until 1994 to be comfortable buying condoms, even though I'd been married for three years by then!)

So yes, I'm a good Christian gal with a wild side. I'm also finally getting comfortable enough to let her out occasionally.

Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda...

2011-10-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

I don't have a lot of regrets in my life, but there are a few....

I wish I hadn't....
-Desired to 'fit in' so much in HS: All my friends had boyfriends, and instead of being happy with my non-attached status, I took the first one offered. (Can we say co-dependant???)

-(wished I HAD) seen the writing on the wall and gone after my Soul Mate instead of thinking my date was 'mine' (he wasn't; I should have told him where to go that night and maybe my SM and I would be together??)

-Given up on said Soul Mate when I DID tell my supposed boyfriend to take a hike.

-Lost patience when a 'surprise' was 'coming soon'. Essentially gave up the chance to visit Hawaii....

-Spent all that money self-publishing. If I'd been a little patient, maybe things would have been better? (Although it DID show me how to promote myself, so it wasn't entirely all bad. Chalk it up to learning experience...)

-(wished I HAD) chosen another major in college, one which gave me the skills to find a GOOD PAYING JOB? (But then again, if I'd married my SM, I'd be fairly comfortable, instead of watching the pennies...or maybe even divorced, so maybe Life with him wouldn't have been so merry? Who knows?)

-Been so anxious to move out of the city after storage unit being broken into and made a better choice of buying a house...(But then again, everything happens for a reason....)

Yes, I am not in control of my life. Everything which has happened to me has made me the person I am today. And a little wiser, and more cautious. And most importantly, I'm finally comfortable being ME. I'm not seeking approval from the opposite sex; I know my SM is waiting for me.

I have readers who enjoy my work.

I have good friends who like to hang out with me.

And, I've raised three good kids. (Okay; the jury's still out on #3, but he has his good moments!)

What about you? Any big regrets you'd like to share? I'd love for Q to be able to show me what my life would have been like, if I'd changed a few decisions....with the option to return to my current lifetime, of course! (Star Tren TNG, if you're unfamiliar with that character!)

I Got Nothin'....

2011-09-27T08:48:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, Alan Rickman went to the mall and was mobbed by women with sparkers, yelling 'Snape! Sheriff of Nottingham!'....yeah....I don't know where else to go with that.....come back next week.

Since I missed last week's topic, who am I? I'm Kenzie Michaels; mother of three (or four....or seven....hell, I adopt the entire neighborhood!), author with two pen names (are you just now figuring that out?) and a quirky sense of humor. I've also known to accidentally offend people with jokes, song lyrics, and the odd one-liner which may pop out of my mouth unchecked. More recently, my patriotism has gotten me into trouble on Face Book. I also love my Colts football; my March Madness college basketball, and used to be a die-hard Cubs fan (okay; still a Cubs fan. But don't watch all the games now, due to marrying a non-sports watcher!). I have an extensive music collection and am fiercely loyal to my friends. I don't pass along gossip; if you tell me something, you won't hear it from someone else (I slipped up once, after carrying a secret for twenty years; I thought SURELY she'd have come clean by now! Oops...)

I am also college educated; have a personal print library of over 2000 books and an e-library of probably 300. And due to the recent incident on FB, I've discovered my skin has REALLY gotten thick!

Meet me in person; you'll find I'm easy going and fun loving. Pour a few drinks in me and I'll even get up and sing karaoke. Want to talk religion? I'm a Christian with an open mind. I don't judge; you have your right to your views and I have my right to mine. I will in no way try to convince you that I'm 'right'.

Okay; I'm heading into dangerous territory. Time to change the subject.

I'm getting ready to edit Ch 5 of Teacher's Pet. Hopefully, this means I'll have another release soon, since I LOVE this cover!

'It's The End of the World As We Know It..."

2011-09-12T04:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry; I couldn't resist. Seriously, for a 9/11 tribute, go see Molly; she's pretty much said everything I wanted to say.

Not that I'm making light of our nation or complaining...oh wait; yes, I'm going to complain. Because a lot of what is happening is either Too Little Too Late; Over Kill; and proof our country's leaders have lost their minds.

TLTL: Yeah, we thought we were invincible. But didn't the Oklahoma City bomb teach us ANYTHING? Or about the 1st attack on WTC? You'd think the US would have gotten a clue something BIG was coming. (And yeah, blame Clinton and the media....maybe if we hadn't have been sooooo concerned with his sexual exploits, we would have paid more attention to what was ALSO going on in the world???) I know I was THRILLED that gas prices were less than a dollar. I was THRILLED I could buy meat for under a dollar a pound. And my milk was $1.19. And no one cared that CEO's everywhere were making money and handing out bonuses equal to lottery payments. Hell, my bonus in 1990 was $150. Would it actually hit $200 the next year? No; I didn't get one because I was on 'maternity leave'. My 'bonus' that year was the extra tips I'd received after telling my favorite customers I was getting married. But I digress...

In 2001, I could safely walk down the halls of the high school I worked for. A year later, even though everyone knew me, I still had to stop at the office, sign in, and wear a badge saying I was authorized past the office doors. WTH? Oh....a new teacher might freak out and think I was there to kidnap someone/pull a gun/plant a bomb in a locker. Get real....there's only 300 students in the WHOLE BUILDING, K-12! EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYONE!

But that's a moot point now; I've moved and in the HS, I can move around undetected if I choose (I've gone upstairs to the guidance counselor many times!), but in the elementary, I need to check in at the office, and they lock the doors to the actual education wing. Go figure; I guess elementary kids are the baddies....(Actually, I think this is due to the high population of child molesters in the area.)

Over Kill: I understand taking precautions in the airports, thanks to those idiots who caused this attack. I've actually only flown twice in the last ten years, but let me tell you, it was a pain in the ass. First of all, our trip in 2004 to Ottowa. 1) At first, it was funny. I'm getting patted down while my 12- and 10 y/o are having to handle the diaper bag, stroller, their own carry on luggage, AND their baby brother. I told the attendant, 'Take your time; my kids are doing all the work'. LOL!

2) The last leg of the trip was horrible. Because my father could not come to the luggage carousel, he had no idea I was dealing with 10-month-old who'd exploded his diaper and was out of wipes, PLUS, there was NO BATHROOM FACILITY in that area, not to mention I was filling out the forms for our missing luggage. Thank GOD I'd had the foresight to pack the child an extra set of clothing in his diaper bag. I ended up throwing away a onezie and wrapping his pants in paper towels until we could get to the motel, plus go shopping the next day for baby wipes and more clothing! (And thanks to the motel, which had guest laundry facilities!)

Our trip to Disney six months earlier had been better. We'd sent our luggage with my father and oldest son, who drove, so we didn't have to worry about pesky details such as checking our luggage.

And the reason I've not flown lately? Prices; the fact my ear has been acting up (if I don't load up on the Sudaphed, I'm in agony until we level off, and don't get me started about the descent!); and the restrictions...OMG....might as well leave your toiletries at home and buy the travel-size once you get there. No, flying is now a pain, so we're rediscovering the beauty of our country as we travel. And since portable DVD players exist, my kids are happy when we travel. And I'm enjoying seeing the countryside I missed as a kid, because my nose was buried in a book.

POCLHLTM: I'm probably going to piss off some people, but hey, this is my blog and I get to say what I want. So if you don't want to hear about me complaining about our current leaders, STOP READING RIGHT NOW!

Okay, Obama got himself elected because 1) He was a better choice than Hilary (I admit, I voted Democratic in the primary to keep HER from winning in our state!); 2) McCain sealed his fate when he chose Sarah Palin (imho!), but now she's actually starting to sound intelligent; 3) Obama promised 'change' and 'less spending' and 'no special treatment for lobbyists'. Hmmm.....'change' has been for the worse (unemployment; gas prices, Big Businesses failing...); 'less spending'...he's spent money like a kid who's suddenly won the lottery and turned loose in a candy store; 'no special treatment'...from what I've seen, he's reneged on every single one of his campaign promises! I would not be surprised if his own damn party refused to nominate him again!

On the republican side (and let me state, I in no way vote a straight ticket!), things are heating up all over the place. Ron Paul. Michelle Bachman (I think that's how she spells her name??). Mitt Romney. And all anyone can talk about is 'create jobs'....'lower spending'.....'blame everyone else for our credit rating'.....I want a definite plan of action. Not just vague topic sentences; I want to see a cohesive plan to get our country back on track. And if that means (gasp!) stop sending money overseas to bail out countries who don't do anything but drain our economy, then so be it. Where was Japan when the towers fell? Katrina? Irene? What about Libya? We helped oust Gadaffi; are they sending any relief money our way?

Remember the Cheers episode when Woody got elected to public office, all because Frazier wanted to prove a point about voter mentality? People, stop voting with your hearts and use your intellect! I'm beginning to agree; the recent earthquake was actually our founding fathers rolling over in their collective graves. Time to get these career politicians out of Washington and get someone in there with a solid plan and the backing to get it done. And one who's NOT a dictator, but rather one who motivates the country to pull together and WORK together.

Apologies if I've angered anyone; I warned you to stop reading!

Back To Basics....

2011-09-06T15:44:00.000-07:00

I've come to believe I need to go back to school. Why? I'll tell you.

Everything I thought I knew about writing dialogue has turned out to be WRONG!

I had one editor who didn't mind the use of the word 'said', 'protested'. 'admitted'.

Editor #2 told me to take them out and replace with gestures. Okay; now I have my characters 'smiling'; 'running hands through their hair'; 'taking sips of their drinks'.

Editor #3 didn't object to my use of action tags and the occasional dialogue tag when I couldn't find a way to eliminate it.

Editor #4: Honestly, the edits went so fast, I'm not sure what she thought of my issue.

Editor #5: I've only received one set of edits, on the wrong story; however, my publisher has created an 'inside the editor's mind' blog and I've discovered the last set of self-edits I used the wrong tags. The good side is, my editor will correct them. The bad side? My 'clean' draft is now not so 'clean'.

So maybe I should either do my daughter's English homework with her or take up the 'Back to school' offers and go take another Grammar course at my local college?

Grrrrrr.......

Can You Guess My Favorite Scent?

2011-08-29T06:50:00.000-07:00

She stretched out on the couch, remote control in hand. The scent of her cucumber-melon votive candles made the living room smell like a fruit basket, even as she munched the red Twizzler candy licorice ropes.

The channel she selected showed mouthwatering yeast rolls dripping with honey butter. She bit off another chunk of the cinnamon-flavored licorice and clicked the next channel. A Jeopardy question. Awesome! She leaned forward.

“200 for Game Show Hosts, Alex,” the student with the cowboy hat said.

“POV, HOH, and CBS….Rachel.”

“Who is Julie Chen? Game show hosts for 400.”

“Answers, not questions….Rachel again.”

(laughs) “Who is Alex Trebeck?”

“Right again..Who knew I’d be in my own game show? Rachel, select again.”

“Same category, 600.”

“This show will leave you stranded, unless you have a strong alliance in the game….Justin.”

“Who is Jeff Probst? Game show contestants for 800.”

(Whooshing sound) “You’ve located the Daily Double. Justin, you can risk up to 1000.”

“I’ll bet 1000.”

“Okay. Here’s your answer: He didn’t know his sister would be on the same show with him.”

“Ummm……”

The bag of Twizzlers slipped from her lap. “I know that one!” She leaned forward as time ran out.

“I need an answer Justin…”

“Ummm. Russell Hantz?”

(Groans) “Oh, so sorry Justin; the answer is Cowboy.”

Her companion laughed as she reached down for the red ropes of candy. “Maybe you should audition for the show. As much as you're obsessed with some of the male contestants..."

“I’m much better at Wheel of Fortune. I used to win all the spelling competitions at school, but got beat in the Statewide Spelling Bee. Maybe I should apply.” She stretched out again to watch the rest of the show. "And I am not obsessed with men!"

"You cried when Jeff was voted off of Big Brother; you cheered when Russell was voted off Survivor; you screamed when Brendan was brought back; and oh yes, you voted for Dr. Will on everyone's email addresses, plus your other two. And anyone else who would let you vote on their computer." He ticked them off on his fingers. "And let's not forget the name of the cologne you buy me all the time!"

So how did you do? My favorite scents are:

Fresh bread

Vanilla

Cinnamon

Cucumber-melon

And Obsession For Men:)

Beating The Heat and Needing 'Me' Time

2011-08-14T07:50:00.000-07:00

Yes, I've been a baaad blogger lately. The past two weekends have been extremely busy, plus our heat wave BROKE finally! Which is weird...usually once the temps hit late 70's and early 80's, on go my shorts and T shirts, and maybe even a tank top. And since the spouse tends to open the windows and doors, I'm even happier.

Enter the 90 degree temp. Spouse closes up the house and the a/c is engaged. Suddenly, I'm wearing sweats in the house and stripping off a layer to go outdoors. And yes, carry a sweater with me to restaurants, in case of freeze-out. I admit it; I'm a split-personality in the summer.

But with kids running in and out, the house has been hot even WITH the a/c! I sleep in my 'granny gown' to stay cool at night. Tank tops and shorts rule, even in restaurants. Maybe I'm having hot flashes due to menapause?

Younglings #2 and 3 leave...and the 98+ temps and 105 degree heat index left last week....and suddenly Kenzie is back in her fleece jammies at night. Yes, you read that right; Kenzie sleeps in FLEECE all year round (with the exception of when she's having hot flashes...and with the addition of her thyroid meds, that has been cured, somewhat...).

I attended a mini-HS reunion last week, and the family laughed at me, because I didn't know what to pack. Tank top and capris, yes. But to wear the pink one with a shrug over it, or my dressy black one? I packed both. And ended up wearing the black one:)

And since the next day was a birthday party, wear a T-shirt with capris or a white tank and shorts? Went outside at 11am and it was nearly too humid to breathe. Tank top and shorts, coming up!

I also drink massive amounts of iced tea; we took the kids to the movies one day, since a friend reported the water at the public pool was near bathwater temps; and in 'normal' situations, cook inside as little as possible. I love my grill! ('Normal'=paragraph #2)

I Loves The Quiet!

I'll admit it; people think I'm strange. Most moms can't wait to spend time with their kids. Maybe I've spent too much time? I look forward to fall, when they all go back to school. I get 'my life' back! In the summer, unless I'm 'in the zone' or editing, I'm at their mercy. Running them here and there, be it ball games (1998-2002), playdates, the library, or whatever. I can't even watch TV anymore, or play my music (unless I'm downstairs in the shower or doing laundry, lol! I've also been known to pop a CD into the laptop while I'm cooking or doing the dishes!)

And the spouse reaaallly needs to get a hobby. I'm tired of him hanging around the house all the time. I need the house filled with MUSIC, not the sounds of Syfy channel, Food Network, History, DIY, or Discovery.

A neighbor absolutely baffled me twelve years ago. Her baby entered kindergarten, and she called me an hour later, sobbing: "I'm sooooo lonely! What am I going to do all day without her?"

Within two weeks, she'd volunteered to be a room mother, and was babysitting two other kids in the class after school (this was when kdgn was half day).

When my then-baby entered kdgn, I spent the mornings doing errands or on the computer! And when she started 1st grade, I literally threw myself a 3-day party: Lunch with a friend and a massage on day #1; dragged my spouse to the State Fair on day #2; and grocery-shopped and gave the house a thorough cleaning on day #3. Finished up on day #4, and settled down to write the following Monday. Did I miss the kids? Hell no!

So what do I need in order to write?

-Everyone out of the house

-Loud Music (when I get 'in the zone', I actually tune it out; go figure!)

-Plenty of iced tea in the kitchen (it means I'll get up every once in a while!)

-Cookies, preferably chocolate chip or Fig Newtons:)

And no spouse threatening me to get of the computer! Go away and leave me alone!! (Case in point: He's gone to church and I'm sitting at home, writing this post, lol! Tired and in too much pain to attend this morning.)

I Haz The Rage...

2011-08-01T07:12:00.000-07:00

What makes me see red? Injustice, stupidity, and just plain stubbornness.

In Life:

I vented my rage here. I don't feel like copy/pasting; it's rather long and not pretty. If you're up for it, feel free to tell me if I'm just suffering from a massive case of PMS or if my family needs a cast-iron skillet upside the head. Or if I need to just go away and calm down for several weeks. Maybe it's just stress.

What makes me mad in books?

When the H/h don't talk to each other! A classic case can be found in Barbara Huffert's Deal of a Lifetime. The H/h spend most of the book making assumptions about the other, despite their inability to keep their hands off each other. I wanted to jump into the book and lock them in a room until they TALKED to each other, expressing feelings/emotions/misconceptions and kissed and made up. Yeah, I know; that would be a boring book. And I admit, it kept me reading. And since Barb is a friend, and I've read that book several times since, I don't think she'd mind a little free publicity for it:) (Love you Barb, if this shows up on a Google Alert, lol!!)

I just finished reading Jean M Aul's Land of Painted Caves. And I'm in agreement with the one review I saw: Enough of the damned cave paintings already! I skipped over much of the description and went straight to the dialogue. There were places where the story could have been more exciting, but instead, she went for the 'safe' approach. Several times I thought I knew how certain sub-plots would end, only to have them fizzle out. But still, this made me want to go back and reread Shelters of Stone, since it's been eight years between books. And even book #3, Mammoth Hunters, made me want to lock Jondalar and Ayla in a room until they admitted they loved each other. I sincerely hope A does get to reunite with her Clan and son before this series ends. And in case you're wondering, yes, I will buy LOPC when it arrives in paperback. I borrowed the hardback from the library.

So what gets YOUR dander up? What makes you so mad you want to punch something?

African Adventure

2011-07-25T03:48:00.000-07:00

"We're almost there folks." Their guide steered the Jeep over bumps, making Tom's teeth rattle in his head. Why had he given in? Why couldn't his wife be content with the Jungle Safari ride at Disney World? What in the world had prompted her to sign them up for a REAL African Jungle safari? The heat, the miserable mosquitoes, and the real danger of running into a hippo was enough to drive a person over the edge.

"Sandy, if you ever sign me up for anything like this again, I swear I'll file for divorce." His back ached as the back wheel landed in yet another rut.

His wife's camera continued to click. "You didn't object when we toured the diamond mine."

"Of course not! That was actually interesting, and we weren't in any danger of being eaten." Tom slapped at another pesky insect buzzing by his left ear. "I don't think that insect repellent is working."

"Oh shut up. When we get to the ruins, it will all be worth it." Sandy put down her camera and reached into her tote bag. "Here, put this on." She handed him the Skin So Soft lotion from Avon. "It does a better job than that Deep Woods Off."

She didn't seem to be suffering from insect bites. Tom could feel several welts on his neck. "Okay." He shook some onto his hand and applied it to all exposed skin.

"Why did you bring that package with you? The corner keeps digging into my knee."

"The FedEx Man gave it to me just as we were about to leave. The guide said he wasn't going to wait, so I brought the damn thing with me. I'll open it up when we get back."

The thick foliage gave way to a clearing. The guide pulled up beside a large canvas structure. "You'll have two hours folks. Lunch will be provided in the shelter, and if you choose to explore the ruins, please watch out for snakes and spiders. Do not go off by yourself; please use the Buddy System."

Tom climbed out of the Jeep after Sandy. He picked at the unfamiliar food, but enjoyed the freshness of the fruit. After they had eaten, he trailed after his wife as they toured the ancient temple ruins, keeping a sharp eye out for any sign of insects and reptiles.

Two hours later, the group piled back into the Jeep and headed back to civilization. Halfway there, the guide suddenly stopped the vehicle and got out to examine the right rear tire. He stood up and reached across the passenger in the front seat.

"Jeep Six to base....yes Base...I've got a puncture over....not sure....thank you." He replaced the radio microphone and turned to Tom, a slight grin on his face. "I don't suppose you have a tire pump in that package."

"I hardly think so." Jeez, had everyone seen Castaway? "Why would someone send me a tire pump?"

"It would be handy about now." The other passengers tittered with nervous giggles. "They're sending another Jeep to meet us, but we might be stranded for a while." The guide shrugged and returned to his seat.

Tom sighed at the looks from the other members of their group. "Okay, I'll open it. You never know, and I wasn't expecting anything anyway." One of the men handed him a pocket knife. "Thanks."

Successfully opening the box, he couldn't believe his eyes. "Sandy, your mother's been watching McGuyver again. She sent us duct tape, chewing gum, and a rope! Can you repair the tire with any of this stuff?"

Their guide smiled and slapped his knee. "I sure can! Thanks Tom; aren't you glad we were in a hurry now?"

Anger, Thick Skin, and Patience

2011-07-17T11:07:00.000-07:00

I've had an online presence now of four years. And I've learned several hard lessons along the way, in addition to my 40+ on earth.

-If someone angers you, take a few moments before you respond. Instant retaliation may make you feel better, but it could also do serious damage to your relationships.

For example, take my temperamental friend. I was in a Very Good Mood one day, but caught her in a Bad Mood. Instead of being happy to hear my cheerful voice, she snapped at me and hung up. An hour later, I received another angry response from her via email. I almost posted a snotty answer and hit 'send'....but then thought about what I knew about her in our then-twenty-three year friendship.

Long story short, if I'd posted my knee-jerk reaction, we probably wouldn't be friends at the moment. But because I took the time to figure out she was under heavy stress due to a recent divorce and my phone call bore the brunt of that stress, she took me to lunch a month later and unburdened herself in tears. She had been at a low point when I called, and now knows she can count on me to listen when she's overwhelmed.

Same thing goes for blogging: If you don't like what someone posts, remember YOU have the power to STOP READING. Don't email the blogger and blast them for their opinion; if something offends you, don't keep reading! Or, do what I do. Return the next week, to see if the offensive material continues. No one is forcing you to keep clicking their link.

Item #2:

-If you're going to put yourself 'out there' on the web, via publishing or blogging, develop a thick skin. You're not going to please everyone, and there will always be someone who feels the need to email you or comment on your 'wrong' attitude.

In fact, if you want to know how many people read your stuff, post something controversial. Back in 2007, I posted some lyrics of an Adam Sandler holiday song. I wasn't getting a great deal of comments at the time, but didn't think anything about it several hours later. And then I opened my email.

Imagine my surprise when I found a 'get that offensive shit off your blog IMMEDIATELY' email. Being a newbie, and not wanting to step on any toes, I took it down and tried to do damage control. But it was too late; I lost a scheduled interview and those who had read my fledgling blog stayed away for about a month.

And while this was going on, I was fuming. The 1st amendment gives me the right to post what I want, right? So why could I post sexual content, poke fun at historical figures, but not post lyrics to a song which at the time was playing on public radio? It made no sense. And later, when the topic came up on someone else's blog, I raised my question again. And discovered my new friends hadn't seen my old post, but agreed the fallout from it had left many people scratching their heads over the super-critical 'morality police'. So another lesson learned here is, weigh all sides of an issue before jumping to conclusions.

And finally, Patience.

-If you write it, they will come. Don't act like a spoiled brat when posts aren't commented on, or you feel overlooked. Maybe you've not posted the information in the right place, at the right time, and with the correct links?

Addictions? I Haz Many....

2011-07-11T08:29:00.000-07:00

Facebook: You can usually track my progress by watching my status updates....or get bogged down in too many YouTube videos. I love the 30 Day Music Challenges....but the first time through, I had trouble picking Just One song. Doing much better this time!

Twitter: I have a growing addiction to this social media site.

TV: Every so often, I find a classic TV show and watch all the episodes, DVR-ing them until I get free time. In 2007, it was ER, Dawson's Creek, and BH 90210, plus Charmed. In 2009, it was Law And Order. And now in 2011, it's The Waltons. I think I began watching Season 4 and and am now catching up on Seasons #1 and 9 (some were deleted by younglings wanting Cartoon Network.)

I'm also addicted to Deadliest Catch, After The Catch, Big Brother, Eureka, and Warehouse 13 (both start tonight, and again, the younglings deleted the 1st two episodes of BB).

Coffee: Gotta have my Irish Cream creamer for morning coffee.

Pasta: My favorite food. Alfredo, marinara, pesto all preferred toppings.

Bread: Freshly baked or latest 'addiction', French bread smothered in butter and popped into microwave for 25 seconds. Yumm!

Chocolate: I always get either a Whatchamacallit or PB Twix candy bar when at grocery/gas station. And I keep a stash of Hershey Bliss Milk Chocolate squares hidden in my bedroom.

Books/Reading: 'Nuff said. I loved working in the bookstore, and hubby complains about all the boxes of books stored in basement. I want Belle's library!!!!!!!

Got an 'Appetite'?

2011-07-06T04:58:00.000-07:00

Appetite For Desire:

Blurb: Dustin James is shocked to learn the sexy blonde he met two days earlier is none other than his father’s caterer who also works at the country club he’s recently joined. When he can’t keep his hands off of her, is lust for her sexy body all he wants, or is it love?

Courtney Bright defied the rules by admitting her attraction to the new customer at the country club. But when she realizes her feelings aren’t just sexual, will she take a chance on love, or is her job more important?

Buy link

Excerpt:

“Want to see the upstairs?” Dustin led her to the golden oak staircase, the risers carpeted in the same dark blue as the living room.

She nodded and followed him, poking her head into each of the five bedrooms, all decorated differently.

“There are two full baths on this floor,” Dustin explained as he showed her the master suite. “And two half baths downstairs.”

“Someone finally got smart.” Courtney looked at the glass-walled shower and the whirlpool tub. “Growing up, we only had one full and one half. My brother would often go outside and pee in the bushes if both were full.” She took one more glance and headed for the doorway. “Your friend hasn’t lived here very long, has he?” She lingered by the door.

“Why do you say that?”

“Well, look,” she gestured at the walls. “No photographs, no pictures, and everything looks as if it just came out of the showroom.”

Very perceptive. He chuckled. “That’s because this is one of the model houses for the neighborhood.”

Courtney blushed. “Oh. I should have realized…”

“No, no, don’t worry.” He leaned against the door jam. “So what do you think?”

“About the house? It’s lovely.” She looked at him, her eyes dreamy. As he watched, she shook her head. “Thank you for showing it to me.”

“My pleasure.” Dustin put a finger under her chin and brushed her lips with his.

Mistake.

His cock swelled as the memory of their night together flooded his mind. He groaned and pulled her closer.

I'm also over at Sam Crescent's blog. And since I'm in such a good mood, I'm giving away a free copy to one random, lucky commenter:) So stop by!

Awesome News!!!

2011-07-05T07:19:00.000-07:00

What a weekend! Found out last Thursday Appetite For Desire was indeed releasing July 6th instead of late September, and my first round edits arrived on Friday. Stayed up until 2am and went to bed when I realized the brain was NOT processing any information, lol!

Saturday, the family rebelled against me and monopolized all computers/internet connections after lunch. So again I edited from 10pm until midnight and sent them off.

Sunday after church, the 2nd round edits arrived. But then my oldest decided to try to figure out why the wifi wasn't working. Three hours later, he admitted defeat and let me have my internet back. Edits were finished in an hour and returned.

Yesterday morning, I received the proof copy. Added my dedication and contact info and sent back. Two hours later, my ARC arrived. I approved and returned it. You can now pre-order it here:)

I jumped on Face Book to rejoice:)

And found an AWESOME review from Coffee and Romance! Here's a snippet, but you can read the entire thing here:)

Michaels interweaves the lives of Angela, Brad and Emma without giving a second thought. Angela is still in love with Steve and hasn't been able to tell Brad about her and Steve's past. The reconnection between Angela and Steve is realistic, heartfelt and genuine while Emma and Brad's developing love interest is paced perfectly for this short novella.

So how was YOUR fourth of July weekend?

A Picture's Worth 1000 Words...

2011-06-26T10:12:00.000-07:00

Friend and fellow author Linda Kage interviewed me today! Come on by and say hello!

Welcome to a sample of my hectic life! Here are some pics from Aunt Kenzie's Summer Reading Program and Father's Day. Miss Drama Queen (MDQ) and her brother Mr. Energy are staying with us for the summer, and maybe even during the school year.

Enjoy these kids' expressions, actions, and antics with me:)

Making the Father's Day cake. MDQ insisted Uncle Dad would LOVE strawberry frosting on his two layer devil's food cake! The kids ate most of it, though Uncle Dad did eat a slice or two:)

Buddy, one of my neighborhood 'adoptees' and MDQ making kites. ME opted not to attend this outing, and my youngling was at cub scout camp.

MDQ trying the Japanese snacks at the program on Japan. They were yummy, imho! I don't think she shared that opinion, though:)

Took them to one of our historical sites, and they all enjoyed playing with this cannon!

What Do You Call a Blog Post About Dates?

2011-06-16T11:57:00.000-07:00

If we were talking about the boy-meets-girl-type, I'd have a wittier title!

When I was younger, I loved going out to eat and playing mini-golf on a first date, because it enabled us to TALK to each other. You really can't get to know your date while in a movie theater and hoping he'll hold your hand; that's for date #2.

In my 20's, dating consisted of either a party; going to a bar/nightclub; dinner. And since I married while in my 20's, 'date night' with the hubby meant dinner alone and a movie, or a drive.

Now my idea of a perfect date is still dinner and wine, and conversation that does not include the word 'Mommy' or mention of any kids (unless I bring it up first, heh heh!). Take my to BW3 and see if I can beat you at trivia. Or let's go sing karaoke.

Special dates I hold dear? There are many:

Jan 1: New Year's Day and SIL's b-day

Jan 29th: Special ex-b/f's birthday. Suffice it to say I met him while in college, and he's in my Top 3.

Feb 14-28: The span of time in which our tax money arrives.

March 1: Youngling's birthday

March 5: Another special friend's b-day (and the day the youngling was supposed to arrive)

March 17: 1st love's b-day

March 20: Spouse's b-day

March 31: Day I met my soul mate

April 7: Day I met my AF officer

April 10: Day I fell in love with the SOB AF officer

April 17: Day I realized I was pregnant with my oldest

May 2: Nephew's b-day

May 3: Wedding Anniversary (20 years so far) and another friend's b-day

May 12: Day BFF B and I were 'married' in the hallway between classes!

May 22: BFF #3's b-day

May 23: BFF #1's b-day and the day my soul mate broke my heart

June 16: The day I dreamed of getting married

June 19: The day I dreamed of getting married when I realized the 16th wasn't on a Saturday and the fact my fiancee was horrible with remembering dates! Also, another friend's b-day

June 28: Dad's b-day

July 3: Daughter's b-day and BFF #2's b-day

July 29: BFF in HS's b-day

Aug 1: Mom's b-day

Aug 5: AF Officer's b-day

Aug 6: 'Grandkids' b-day (born same day, one year apart!)

Aug 19: Day I had miscarriage and niece's b-day

Sept 20: Day I met my first serious crush

Sept 23: BFF #1's wedding anniversary

Oct 7: Sister's b-day

Oct 9: Nephew's b-day

Nov 20: Niece/stepdaughter's b-day

Dec 8: Oldest son's b-day and another friend's b-day; the one who introduced me to my spouse.

Dec 19: My b-day

Dec 25: Christmas

Dec 31: New Year's Eve

Now, what would YOU have called this post? LOL!

Show Me The Truth....

2011-06-06T12:25:00.000-07:00

While I love the pre-Civil War era, and wouldn't mind for one day putting on a hoop skirt and dancing at a party, there is another era which has intrigued me: The Tudor Years.

My first introduction into this era was the book Anne of a Thousand Days. And Philippa Gregory's The Constant Princess shows a different side of the story.

Now maybe some of the facts were fudged, for romance angles, but I rather like the image of the conniving Henry, not the cold, calculating Anne of The Other Bolyne Girl.

So therefore, I would love to be a fly on the wall, or at least a lady-in-waiting, to see first hand what REALLY went on between Henry VIII, Katherine, Anne, and her sister Mary.

Another time I'd like to be the 'fly on the wall' would be at Elizabeth's court, to see what exactly transpired between her and Lord Dudley, and why she had Mary Queen of Scots executed. Was it all Lord Cecil?

I'm only halfway through this book, and can hardly wait to get back to it.

And as always, I would sorely miss my A/C, indoor plumbing, and modern conveniences.

If you could travel safely through time, what era would YOU visit? My hubby rather likes the Star Trek world!

Mid Year Check Up

2011-05-31T18:58:00.001-07:00

Did I make any resolutions this year? None are documented; I had limited internet access six months ago. But if I did make any resolutions in my professional life, they would have been the following:

-Submit, submit, submit my work. Check. Class Reunion has been accepted, and Off The Clock sent off for approval. I also sent off Appetite For Desire and it was accepted:) Now, I have nothing left but partial wips. My alter-ego is currently waiting for approval on her 3rd book. I also finally finished an appropriate submission for the 1000 Words anthology. Hopefully Travis found this one acceptable!

-Write, write, write. So-so. I've had a few writing days the last few months, but I need to do more. I don't think I've written anything new in the last month. Of course, it helps when the characters are screaming for attention! Mine are not; I think they all went looking for a less stressed out author.

-Make some money. Check....sort of. I have received two royalty checks this year....and just enough money for about a week's worth of chocolate. I have a love affair going with Hershey's Bliss milk chocolate squares. Shhhh....don't tell my dentist.....

-Be a better mom. I kind of dropped the ball on this one; I have a youngling who isn't reading yet, and a rebellious teenage daughter. Of course, if the spouse hadn't gone off the deep end on Super Bowl Sunday and thrown a fit over her choice of boyfriend....but that's private family issues so I won't bore you with that drama.

-Balance family and writing life. Again, I've sort of dropped the ball. Since I got my laptop, I've discovered I'm addicted to Face Book. And there are several days I did nothing but chat on a couple of loops....again, I refer you to item #2.

So yes, Kenzie has a lot of work to do the remainder of the year! Maybe once edits arrive for both Teacher's Pet and Appetite For Desire?? And maybe Mark and Becca will talk to me again???

Tagging Along....

2011-05-23T00:39:00.000-07:00

Most of you are familiar with my alter ego Molly Daniels. Yes, she's the one who set up at local festivals with her print copies, and the awesome display with certain other authors' print books. Lately, I've been tagging along, with my CD's and poster of my latest cover (Teacher's Pet has been out there an awfully long time, and I really hope it's out soon! People are asking for it, so send me edits, damn it! Okay; rant over).

I also have my Sony Pocket e-reader handy, to show people how handy it is to use. Sometimes a friend will let me borrow his Kindle for the same purpose.

But I'll admit, I will not be using my latest official cover in public. Why? It's too damn HAWT! If I show it in a venue with anyone under the age of eighteen, I'm sure I'll be politely asked to take it down, or have customers shooting me evil glances. So I'll advertise it with the PG sample cover provided, but once the book is out, the R rated cover will be on the CD and only shown to the adults.

I've already stated that my status as a 'smut' writer (I prefer Adult Contemporay) has gotten me a few perks: Former classmates talk to me more; I've been given free wine; and the very fact I'm published with an honest-to-god publisher has earned me respect from aspiring writers and new authors.

I've made a few mistakes; I've disclosed too much information too soon to prospective friends, only to find out their ultra-conservativeness; I've accidentally let a tame curse word fly in mixed company (who knew a 'hell no' would bring an admonition? It happened!); and when I posted my wonderful Jimmy Thomas cover on Face Book, a few childhood friends (and my mother) expressed their disapproval. Mom's wasn't so bad; she just shook her head. But one friend went on a rant about eating habits of models. Huh?????

So now I'm more cautious about the content of my books. I've only got one scene which even sort of squicks me out, and I'm very careful when someone I know VERY WELL wants to read that book. I wouldn't want people to be turned off by a particular scene.

And when I'm promoting, I offer both a tame and spicy excerpt. Many times women want the spicy one, and I hope it generates sales, rather than an 'OMG...porn alert' moment.

Just as long as I don't get asked to leave or run out of town by the 'holier-than-thou' types, I'll continue to promote myself in public:)

BICHOK....But no Words??

2011-05-17T07:28:00.000-07:00

I've thought about the topic of No-Fail Writing Tactics, and coming up blank. Of course, there are different forms of writing, and if you're not familiar with the acronym BICHOK, it stands for Butt In Chair Hands (or Fingers) On Keyboard. During my first NaNoWriMo, this worked. Sure, I wrote a bunch of idiotic words and endless descriptions, but I accomplished my word count. And sometimes the brain got tired of the the stupidity and inspiration would strike.

Lately, the only thing I've managed to accomplish are journal entries. I sit down to write my latest wip, but instead, I end up pouring my thoughts onto a blank document.

For a while, the word wars on Twitter jump-started the creativity, but lately I just can't seem to be even motivated to sign into the site. I'm not sure if it's depression, or laziness, but I open the document and the finger-brain connection just isn't there.

And another urge is getting stronger. Other characters who've been on the back burner for several years are beginning to demand attention. I've set the wheels in motion; I'll know in a week if it will work.

So at the moment I'm not the person to offer advice on how to write when the words aren't flowing, or the characters go on vacation without you. What works for me won't necessarily work for someone else.

And sometimes, all it takes is an email from an editor, reader, or simply time off to recharge. Whatever it takes, I'll be ready for the day when the flood of words return and I'll have to be dragged from the computer kicking and screaming.

Strange; I Hadn't Noticed....

2011-05-09T06:16:00.000-07:00

When I first thought about the recurring themes in my books, I thought it would be easy. Romance, right?

And then I spent last week thinking about all the books I've written.

Drinking. Infidelity. Various social issues. Jumping to (wrong) conclusions. Trust issues, which ultimately lead to some sort of verbal or emotional abuse, be it past or present.

And then there's the current one.

I had a crit partner read the first three chapters, and he pointed out several things I hadn't noticed.

- I've got a lot of rivalry going on. Sibling rivalry; romantic entanglements; past teenage conflicts; competition.

- I also have an older brother portrayed as being stuck in small town, old fashioned values.

- And, yes, the heroine's past lover dumped her for someone 'more connected'.

Where do these come from?

I know the small town, prudish attitudes are due to living in one, plus the fact I'm currently watching past episodes of a favorite TV show, and the narrow-mindedness of my spouse's family.

I dated an alcoholic, plus witnessed a lot of drinking in college. I also have it in my family, so I'm careful not to overdo it when I drink socially. I know my limits, and stick to them.

I've been on both sides of the infidelity issue, so I'm well aware of the pain it brings, as well as the trust issues.

And I admit, I endured a lot of teasing while growing up, and dreamed of 'proving everyone wrong'. I'm sort of over that now, having proved that point the last several years.

So is my subconscious trying to tell me something? Or is this just an outlet for all the stress I've felt lately?

Hindsight, Pt 2....

2011-05-02T04:11:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh....the one(s) which got away.....where do I start?

1) Friend D: He was my 'Sunday Night Date' all through my junior year of high school...but I was too stupid to notice him until it was too late. Of course, do a rewind, and at the tender age of 12, I was all set to settle into holy matrimony with his identical twin brother! Two years later, hormones and a bit of anti-social behavior kicked in, and I pushed him away for greener pastures. (Have you been paying attention to Molly's Flashback Fridays? LOL!)

2) My soul mate: I met him while dating his best friend. And being the stubborn cuss that I am, I didn't understand the jerk I was dating was also hitting on other girls in front of me. If I could do it all over again, I'd have grabbed T that night and never looked back. Or, fast-forward one year and never given up on him. Took us three more years and six years of separation to see we'd both made major mistakes in our lives. And I'm still being a stubborn cuss...and now he's the one who got tired of waiting. Now we joke we'll finally make things right again when we're in our 80's....

3) JF: The first guy to 'educate' me on the finer points of living with the opposite sex. Of course, in hindsight, we'd probably be divorced by now, but at the same time, it was my jealousy which did us in. I had a two month period in which we lived apart, and in the 2nd month, my over-possessiveness made him feel smothered. He married six months later, and she divorced him as soon as she got her degree. He's on wife #6 or 7 right now....I would have been #4. So maybe that was a good thing after all?

And since if I could really have a do-over and make major changes to my life in 1987, everyone I dated from then until 1990 would have been different.

On the other hand, my soul mate has been the hero in the majority of my books, so he's been the driving influence behind my books:)

And on a good note, I received a fan letter over the weekend:) Pam, who won Wild At Heart through the TRS Stay at Home party, emailed me and said, "Just a note to let you know I really enjoyed the story! thanks so much again!"

Made my day! Thanks Pam:)

Hindsight...

2011-04-25T04:02:00.000-07:00

....is always 20/20. Gah...if I could have a do-over of last year! Soooo many things I'd change or at least do differently! Let's start with February.

-I would have sent the hubby out to move the car, instead of the oldest child. Cost us $900 to repair the damage to friend's car when he failed to see it in the dark and backed into it.

March:

-I would have held on to more of our tax refund; plus the minute the spouse complained about his sight, dragged him to the eye doctor.

-Picked a better date for oldest son's Eagle Ceremony, but as it turned out, nobody will ever forget that day, lol! (Palm Sunday, two days after hubby's eye surgery!)

July:

-Investigated potential publisher a bit more thoroughly.

Aug:

-Would have made a better decision, instead of keeping my 'WTHIGO' issues to myself.

-Bought oldest the College Care Package, even though he told me not to.

Oct:

-Attended signing in the MORNING, instead of the afternoon. Everyone was gone by then.

I know there are others I'm forgetting; these are just the big ones. The best decision of last year, it seems, was doing the Farmer's Market every weekend. It got me noticed by the Christmas Parade planners, and as a result, myself and five other authors were made the Grand Marshals. I enjoyed it, and was thankful the weather cooperated.

What about you? Do you have anything you'd like to change about the past year? Or was 2010 pretty good?

Whips and Chains

2011-04-18T04:10:00.000-07:00

Maybe it was all those spankings as a child. Or being teased by my peers from the 4th grade until high school. At any rate, I most likely will not write a BDSM, or any psychological horror/thriller stories.

Don't get me wrong; I enjoy reading them from time to time. And in fact, several of my favorite authors write these genres. But I just can't wrap my head around anyone who would enjoy being 'punished', spanked, whipped, or even treated like a child, and then being told 'I love you,' and being made love to. In my head, those elements just don't go together.

The closest I can get to writing anything like this would be mild bondage. When tying each other up is viewed in playful ways, and not causing any pain. I do, however, have a wip which wants to veer into this genre, and another which wants to take a peek into the lifestyle. But neither of these are grabbing my attention, so I may just turn the concept over to Brynn and see if she can work her magic:) I'll take my payment in free books, ha ha:) Then again, she may insist I do it myself.

Another genre I doubt I'll ever write is M/M. Again, I have read some of this genre, and thanks to Kaenar Langdon, there is a video saved in my email which I think is pretty hot! I think I'll leave this to the ladies who write it best; Dakota Rebel, Kaenar, Carol Lynne, and Mia Watts. I had enough problems writing my one and only F/F, in which all of the sex scenes take place 'behind closed doors'.

Menage: I like to read it; however, I tried to picture myself as the adored object once, but always, the 2nd guy managed to fade away. Guess I'm just an old fashioned, one man-at-a-time-woman.

Fantasy/SciFi: In two words, World Building. Enough said. If I have trouble visualizing my setting, how can I expect to write it? If I attempted either of these, I'd end up looking like a sad copy of Harry Potter, Tolkein, or Star Wars. I again refer you to my ending of Star Wars. Pitiful.

I admire anyone who can create other worlds and make them sound exciting! Jae Roth, Anny Cook, Vicky Burkholder...these ladies have imaginations!

I know there are several of my friends who don't like unhappy endings, and others who can't stand romance. It all comes down to personal preference. What's yours?

And never say never; I'm collaborating right now with what may end up being my one and only horror/transgender/zombie story. The other two authors need to write their scenes and finish what I started!

Shock!

2011-04-11T02:24:00.000-07:00

"Dear Kenzie,
" After reading your book, I have decided not to set it out for my customers. Frankly, I am appalled at the language and sexual situations depicted, even though I am fully aware of today's environment. I do, however, choose to discourage such behavior among today's teenagers and young adults, and therefore would invite you to put your talents to better use.

" I would also like to invite you to meet my Friend who died on the Cross. Finding a wholesome, God-fearing community might help cleanse your vocabulary and create stories more tailored to promoting God's glory.

"Sincerely,"
Name Withheld,
First customer repelled by my first book, June 2007

In my defense, I TOLD her the book had some language and mild sexual situations. She chose to buy it anyway. And a week or so later, her note arrived in the mail.

My first impulse was shock, and I wanted to write her back, explaining yes, I AM a Christian, and attend church on a regular basis. But then common sense prevailed; I did not want to engage her in a pissing contest, and let the matter drop. I don't even think I'd recognize her if I ever ran into her again.

You've undoubtedly heard of the author who had no such qualms about confronting one of her reviewers, who gave a not-so-steller-review. I don't know if this will hinder her further efforts; I think she definitely needs a 'think before you speak/type' attitude. Jumping in someone's face because they've expressed an opinion of your work is not professional behavior. Remember; our work is highly subjective and we're not going to please everyone we meet. Develop a thick skin and let the bad reviews go; enjoy the good ones and strive for your best work.

First Impressions

2011-04-04T04:31:00.000-07:00

"Oooooh, you're an author? What do you write?"

"Adult Contemporary Romance."

(Eyebrows lift) "Ohhhhh..."

I'm up front with what I write; however, I tend to omit the 'erotic' part, preferring to call it 'adult'. If anyone wants to know more, and I can't judge their age, I ask how old they are, and if they're younger than eighteen, I steer them toward my alter-ego's books.

I'm still new enough that I've not had a whole lot of reactions; I have been prayed over (basically, for the Lord to help me clean up my language); I've had someone write me a letter inviting me to 'Meet my friend who died on the cross' (I already have a very good relationship with Him, thankyouverymuch!); and I've even had former classmates say they've read excerpts and fall off their chairs. "Sweet, innocent YOU wrote THAT?" (Sweet, innocent me went to college and grew up, heh heh heh!)

But I suppose the best reaction I ever received was two years ago at our local Wine and Art Festival. Apparently, one of the workers at one of the wineries had stopped by my table earlier, and had heard me refer to my writing as 'Adult Smut'.

I went up for a taste of one of their wines, and as I was tasting, he asked me, "Do you really write smut?"

"Yes, I do."

"Good for you!" He poured me another larger taste, free of charge!

And another winery owner gave me two bottles of Blueberry Wine, because we'd sent many customers to his booth, and, "My wife really enjoyed reading your book last year. When is the next one going to be available?"

Unfortunately, this past year, that particular winery did not make it to the festival; their truck broke down. So I have high hopes this coming June, when I get to tell him Wild At Heart is out, and two more will be on the way:)

Research...Do I Research?

2011-03-27T10:13:00.000-07:00

To some extent, I do have to research some subjects.

For instance, while writing Teacher's Pet, suddenly the hero was slapped with a sexual harassment suit. Since I knew nothing but sketchy details, I had to stop writing; call a friend on the school board to find out specific actions, as well as contact a lawyer for his input on policies.

Same when I was expanding All She Ever Wanted; the issue of Health and Building Code violations came up, and again I was calling people to find out about fines, what constituted a violation, and how to go about contesting it.

I guess my favorite 'research' happened while on vacation. In 2002, my family spent a week in Estes Park, Colorado, at Nicky's Resort. We toured the strip malls in Estes Park; we spent hours in various parts of Rocky Mountain National Park, and ate at some terrific restaurants. I was actually writing another book at the time, but kept a diary of our travels, a habit my mom started when my children were little.

Fast forward to 2007. I'm happily writing away and getting my convict's story down, when all of a sudden, one of the minor characters decides he's not going to be so minor after all, and reveals he's in Denver, Colorado. Suddenly, he's exploring the park and meeting people. An entire subplot develops, and suddenly I can't remember what was on the menu or the decor of Nicky's. So I called them.

The hostess was thrilled I was putting the establishment into a book, and eagerly rattled off some menu items. Then I gently asked about some landmarks in the town, and she confirmed my memory was good. I thanked her and hung up.

Right now, I've got three 'research' projects going on: One story involves a convention, so I have to 'table' it until I can actually GET to one, or at least wait until the characters speak to me again; 2) Since my Discovery Channel episodes were deleted, I'll be watching the next season with interest, and again, hoping my characters talk to me; and 3) Since my 'Dancing with the Stars' storyline is balking, I'm going to have to start watching the show or take up my dance lessons again. I also got a great idea for a subplot, but as an illness I know little about is involved, yeah, I'm going to have to do some research and interview a good friend. Wish me luck; since Spring Break is over, I plan on diving back into Word War at least 2-3 hours per day.

And of course, there is also the research my alter-ego likes to do:
She picks up the phone and calls her BFF:

"I need you to stretch your memory..."

E: "Oh lord, what now?"

"Remember the time you and I met those basketball players, and we used to play euchre with them in the lobby? And one night the RA let us go over to the boys' side for ten minutes, only we took fifteen and he threatened to write us up?"

"Ye-es, I think so...why?"

"You whispered something to him and he changed his mind. What did you say to him?"

"You honestly expect me to remember that? Get real!"

"I Dare You..."

2011-03-21T05:23:00.000-07:00

Back in 2007, I was challenged by a former blogmate to increase my heat level. I wrote the upcoming Teacher's Pet with much blushing and minimizing the screen whenever a child would happen to walk by, or even the husband. I was uncomfortable typing certain words and phrases (scroll down to see last week's post!), but I knew if I ever hoped to be an Ellora's Cave author, I'd better use them.

After a while, I got used to all the description; the story was flowing, and I was also challenging myself in my first NaNoWriMo, to see if I was capable of a) writing and meeting a daily word count goal and b) keeping my heat level up. I nearly killed myself, but I eventually accomplished both goals. I had a 50, 038 word document, and sex, sex, and more sex all the way to the end. I was so exhausted and sick of my characters, I didn't go near that document for three months. Mission accomplished, and you know the rest of the story.

My next challenge came a year ago September. I had crashed a class reunion, with people I'd not seen in over 30 years. They found out I was an author, and soon, after a few drinks, three people came to me with 'ideas'. I came home, started writing, but stalled. Then an email from a reader changed that work around. Who knew a simple change of setting, character names, etc, would spark the creativity? I should be receiving a contract for 'Class Reunion' soon.

But my largest challenge is a storyline which came to me last year. I'd gotten hooked on a certain Discovery Channel show, and an idea sparked. But, I know little about this lifestyle. How can I write about something I know only slightly about?

I decided to get the basics down. I saved several episodes on my DVR, and started writing. Disaster hit; I not only hit a wall with the story, but someone deleted every single one of my episodes. I'm hoping the characters 'call' me to finish their story! Same goes for a 'Dancing With The Stars' storyline I have going. I've not touched it in two weeks, and even then, the story's not flowing. I have a bunch of disjointed scenes and really no motivation to tie them together yet. Again, when the time is right, it will call me back. For the moment, I'm concentrating on another story I began about ten or so years ago, but didn't know where it was going. Well, now I do, but the war in Iraq has filtered into it. Now I need to do research on VA hospitals and rehab. Sheesh! This is not the book I'd intended to write, but the characters are adamant it stay in. Wish me luck.

I've said it before; I need peace and quiet. I need to lock myself in a hotel room for a month. No kids, no husband. Just me, my computer, a hot tub within easy access, good food, and plenty of cookies. Preferably Fig Newtons or Chips Deluxe. And a hefty supply of Hershey Bliss Milk Chocolate squares. Or Dove.

Now I have a challenge to my friends James and Travis: Finish our story! I wrote about a disgruntled worker three years ago, and you suggested zombies for the next scene. So where is it? Get it written already!

The Women Have Spoken!

2011-03-18T07:23:00.000-07:00

After posting this on FB, within an hour I had several women drooling (and a few men as well!) over their computer keyboards! I only had one negative comment, from a non-erotic romance reader, who thought this couple 'didn't look real' and 'they don't look as if they even eat, much less cook!'. And my SU and oldest son were staring at the woman....so I say this is a good one:)

The book is slated to arrive in September, and I'm still hoping Teacher's Pet will be released late spring/early summer, so there is plenty of 'breathing' space between the two. Now I can go ahead and get my bookmarks, and maybe a cover flat and some CD covers made. Starting to get excited again:)

Tomorrow, I'll be over at the Romance Books R Us blog, talking about my imaginary friends. Won't you come join in the discussion?

Sample Cover Art

2011-03-17T09:15:00.000-07:00

The longer I stare at this one, the better I like it:) The first thing I said to myself when I saw it was, "She's not blond"...and "Wow! This is what one would expect on an erotic romance story!"

The first thing I said when I saw this one was "Awwwww....sweet! And she's blond! And I like his expression!" But..."They have their clothes on..."

So I posted them to FB and within an hour, I had several women friends drooling all over the 1st one. So I emailed my artist and said, "Let's go for it!"

What's your opinion? Does it matter that my heroine is blond, yet the cover model is dark blond/ brown hair with highlights?

Taking the Romance Out Of Sex or Words Which Makes You Cringe....

2011-03-14T13:55:00.000-07:00

Warning: The following content may cause eyebrows to raise, heart palpitations, or fainting spells. On the other hand, if you're here, you're over the age of eighteen, so you've been warned:)

There are certain words and phrases I certainly don't associate with romance, yet when writing sex scenes, they invariably creep in to the vocabulary. Sometimes my male characters have potty mouths, and yes, sometimes the women will get carried away.

-'Box'. Last time I checked, it was not in the shape of a square.

-'Cunt'. This brings to mind Penthouse or Playboy prose. I dislike it intensely; however, I'll use it maybe once in a story, and only because I need another word.

-'Pussy'. Same reason as above.

-'Twat'. Who the hell thought this one up? See above.

-"Give it to me baby..." This implies rough sex; not love-play.

-"I can't wait to do you..." Does this guy think that's a turn on? Not me!

-"He slid into her dripping entrance..." or 'Her pussy wept with moisture..." I'd hate to fall asleep in his arms afterward; all that wetness? Euuuwww...who wants to immediately change the sheets? Who's even INCLINED to strip the bed when one is exhausted from their lover's antics?

-Am I the only one who thinks shower sex is impossible? I don't mean foreplay; I mean the actual ACT. I've put it into some of my scenes, but as one who hates cold surfaces, or water pouring into my face...forget it.

I realize the genre I write certain descriptions are used; however, I'm not about to write something I can't stand to read. I wrote the first four books in order to get my foot in the door, and now I'm there, I'm staying on the tame side. What I thought was 'burning sex scenes' four years ago has become 'spicy' or 'steamy'. And I'm happy with that.

The most romantic thing anyone ever said to me was the morning after: "I want to make love to you again." I melted. Instantly.

Hung Jury: Pros and Cons

2011-03-07T10:48:00.000-08:00

I'll admit, I was slow to catch on to the 'e-book craze'. I found out they existed in either 2001 or 2, when I first saw the founder of Ellora's Cave on Montel Williams. I went to the site, signed up for my free newsletter, and perused the front page. Several thoughts went through my mind:

"Oh my god...these sound GREAT!"

"But wait....they're all about sex!"

"So what? You write bedroom scenes; just...not this explicit."

"See?"

"Kenzie...you're nearly forty years old, and blushing because there's a naked couple on the cover."

"Say I were to write a book like this: What will my family say? Or even my parents?"

"I repeat: You're old enough to quit blushing. You have two kids, for Christ's sake! Everyone KNOWS you've had sex!"

"That's not what I'm objecting to. Isn't this....porn?"

"Didn't your agent say you were writing erotic romance?"

"Well....yes. But still, I didn't use words like that excerpt had! That sort of language belongs in Playboy or Hustler."

"But you heard Jaid...her books are being snapped up by the thousands! Get over yourself and be a part of that market. Sex sells, woman!"

"But....how the hell do you MARKET an e-book?"

That one had me stumped. How did one go about marketing a virtual book? Could you download it to a CD and sell it? Get a laptop and hope people would fall in love with the premise and download it on the spot or remember twelve hours later and pull out your business card?

I liked having a book in my hand. I already spent enough time in front of the computer, reading my email and writing my own books. Would I be comfortable reading a book on the computer?

I settled on two books which sounded interesting, and got the consent of the SU to order them. I read them both eagerly, and was slightly disappointed they were so short. One left me hanging...until it bugged me so much I had to reread it. And discovered I'd read it wrong. I actually found myself reading that book four more times.

And then locked myself in the bedroom and tried to conquer my shyness over the use of certain anatomical slang terms. I wrote on and off for several days...then hit a wall. I still have it; I just haven't gotten around to typing it up yet. I think it's got the potential to be a pretty damn good story; my brain's just been busy with other projects. When the time is right, Brock and Tricia will clamor for their story to be finished.

But in the meantime, I was determined to get my 'other work' out there. My first two books actually arrived in print form first. And I timidly handed them out to people, convinced I was about to be raked over the coals for the language and the content. Surprise, surprise...people liked them!

And during the time the second one was being published, I discovered how one markets an e-book. Chat loops, blogging, social media. And yes, I could certainly show off my tasteful e-book covers and explain the CDs aren't audio. Sales have been good; especially since my e-books are considerably cheaper than the print ones!

So yes, this jury is unable to make a decision which is better. Although....if e-readers and books had been around while I was growing up, I'd have had one: I was the kid who packed an entire suitcase full of books for a two or three week vacation...and still ran out of reading material!

Various Scenarios With My Favorite Hero

2011-03-01T11:20:00.000-08:00

Reprinted from 2008; these are a series of strange/weird/wacky dreams I had, back before I had many followers. Enjoy:)

I’m lying in bed, restless because you’ve been on my mind all day. I toss and I turn; Heart’s “Alone” is playing in my head, stuck on a loop that plays over and over.

I finally resign myself to the fact I’m not sleeping; I have an itch between my thighs and an aching in my lower body that refuses to go away. I’ve tried pressing my legs together and even putting a pillow between them, trying to relieve the pressure, but no luck. My body is crying out for one thing, and it is several miles away.

I get up; some inner force directs me to the computer. I check my email, and there is something from you! My heart leaps…is it good news? Bad news? With shaking fingers, I position the mouse over the address. And as it loads, I childishly shut my eyes, hardly daring to breathe…I send up a silent prayer for a positive message…I’ve had so many bad ones lately, I don’t know if I could take another. Especially not from you.

I crack my eyes open. Two words…Come over.

I breathe deeply and read it again. Come over.

My heart dances and flutters. He wants me! We’re on the same page! Oh god…it’s been hours since I’ve showered…and I need to brush my teeth! When did he send this? Oh lord…two minutes ago! Is he still on? Wait…there’s more to the message….

Email me back if you get this by X o’clock.

Yay! I eagerly type back, Give me ten minutes to leave…I’ll be there in forty. Is this okay? I hit Send and anxiously wait. I check a couple of sites, tabbing over so I’ll know the minute he writes back. A few minutes tick by, and there it is. I’ll be waiting.

I send up a silent Thank you to the god who wants us to be together and log off. Hurriedly, I brush my teeth, change my clothes, skipping the underwear as he prefers me to go commando, throw on some shoes, and briefly let my drowsy teenager know I’ll be back in an hour.

As I’m driving, the internal dialogue with my conscience begins.

What the hell are you doing?

I want to see him.

What self-respecting mother leaves her kids to go meet her man?

A mom with a healthy sex life. Shut up.

But this late at night? And why won’t he come to you?

Because there’s more privacy and less people at his.

You’re being a sex-starved hussy.

I don’t care.

Slut.

For him, yes. And only him. Now I said shut the fuck up.

Okay…it’s your life.

That’s right. This has always been my choice.

With my conscience settled down, I arrive. His lights are on. I get out of my car, my legs shaking, still at war with half my brain. Will he think less of me? Will this set the stage for future trysts?

The door opens and there you stand, your tall muscular body surrounded by light. You’ve had a haircut; your eyes are smiling; you still have that tiny patch of facial hair instead of the goatee I’ve come to like; your lips are open and inviting me to kiss them, but not yet.

Your arm reaches out to guide me inside, and once the pleasantries are exchanged and your arms encircle my body in a tight hug, our lips meet, our tongues entwine, and all my doubts and insecurities melt away. This is my man, my lover, my soul mate. Everything is right with the world when I’m in your arms.

Our clothes fall off; your hands are eagerly at my breasts, squeezing and caressing the nipples. Your mouth descends; I clasp your head as your tongue and teeth scrape over my taunt buds, drawing them painfully tighter.

I reach down and lightly grasp your engorged cock, feeling the warmth of you in my fingertips and hearing your intake of breath. After all these years, it still amazes me that I can still evoke this response from you, and that your massive length can fit inside me to the hilt!

I sink to my knees and carefully take you in my warm mouth. I feel your hands in my short, tousled hair as I lightly play with the head, swirling my tongue around and sucking lightly. I suck as much of your length down my throat, wishing I could take it deeper. I reach up to cup your balls and gently squeeze them. My ministrations are causing impatience; you tug me up to crush my body to yours again.

This time, there’s no gentleness. I’ve pleased you, and it shows. You lead me to a soft bed of blankets and lay me down. Your tongue invades my mouth, roughly giving me a taste of your desire. I answer with my own hunger and eagerly spread my legs, wrapping them around your hips and reaching down to assist, ripping open that packet you've handed me and rolling that damned latex over you. Your hips settle into the cradle of my thighs and we let out simultaneous sighs as your thick dick finds its way into my wet passage, and we feel a wondrous contentment. Why do we wait so fucking long to be together? Is it just the delicious self-denial? The knowledge of delayed gratification? Are we simply afraid it will go stale?

And then you start to move and the song in my head is suddenly replaced by Heart’s “Surrender to Me”, and I want nothing more than to keep you trapped deep within me, going slowly even though we’re both starved for this feeling. We kiss, we gasp, we moan with desire as your hard cock plunders my soft pussy, over and over. My arms hold you tight; your eyes burn dark with desire; you reach down and caress my clit, trying to bring me closer, but what you don’t know is I’m already there…I love having you inside me, and this roller coaster of sensations is the only one I’ll ride. I’m excited; I’m calm; I love watching you attain your ultimate pleasure and knowing I’ve made you happy.

And when I’ve achieved several, and you've emptied your essance into the protection of the condom, I want nothing more than to hold you close and cuddle as we recover. I want your arms around me, holding me close to your chest. I love hearing your heartbeat; I love the conversations which follow.

All too soon, it is time to reluctantly leave your warm arms and return to my cold bed. But I’ve got happy memories to sustain me until the next time you have time for me. I’m sensing a Heart theme here…as I’m driving away with your kiss still on my lips, I’m hearing “I Didn’t Want to Need You”

And when I’m safely back in my solitary bed, my brain brings up ‘Will You Be There in the Morning?” and long for the day when we could actually wake up in each others arms in the morning.

*******************

I let myself into the house. He is sitting on the floor, surrounded by boxes.

"We need to talk," he says, looking serious.

Uh-oh...I don't like the sound of this. "What's the problem?" I set my briefcase down by the front door and make my way over to him.

He stands, and we leave the crowded living room for the spacious master bedroom. I lay down on the bed and curl up on my side, watching him pace.

"I was there...today. In front of the stadium. I bought hot dogs for the kids and saw you."

Relief flows through me. He came to the signing after all! But..."Why didn't you come over to the table?"

"You had several people at your table, and you looked so beautiful, so animated, and it hit me...you're going to do well with this! And where does this leave me?" He sits on the edge of the bed, and I see the little boy who just wants to be loved and appreciated.

"I will never leave you," I whisper softly. "I love you."

He get up and spoons his body around mine. "Can we research some more?"

I feel his hands unbuttoning my shirt. "You've been reading Sommer's blog again..."

**********************************

I am in New York, on a 'field trip', of sorts, with the girls from One Tree Hill. Brooke was to meet with a fashion designer; Peyton was there for support, except she met a guy we were convinced was a mob figure.

The hotel we were staying at was the same one in which my character had a suite in which he lived.

We dodged the Joan Collins-type chaperone character and I discovered the suite. Nothing happened; we simply talked. But later, as the antics of Brooke and Peyton grew outrageous, I called on my friend for help. It was one of those frantic phone calls in which the only information revealed was 'Help! Peyton's being chased by this unsavory guy and Brooke can't find her...'

But in the end, the guy was miraculously apprehended; the girls were tearfully returned to the hotel; the chaperone and the rest of the crew blissfully ignorant of all actions.

And myself? I knocked on my friend's door and asked quietly, "How did you know?"

"Because I know you, and I've come to expect things like this."

I entered the room. His son is playing a video game, and there is a strange woman and young child sitting on the couch. I introduce myself and apologize for the interruption.

"But...you did it all with one phone call," I continue. "You never left; We never saw you. And yet you still managed to be the hero in the end." I'm thoroughly confused.

"Kenzie...I can't explain it. I've matured over the past several years, but you refuse to see it." He's getting slightly angry. "Now don't you have a plane to catch?"

"Actually, we're leaving in the morning." I shoot another inquisitive glance at the silent woman still in the room.

He shifts in his seat. "I think your friends would like to see you."

"Why?" I challenge him. Somehow, my shoes are off, and my cardigan sweater is unbuttoned. I don't remember doing anything to my clothes.

"Because I have plans tonight." He frowns and leans over to hand me my shoes and pull my sweater together, so my tank top is covered.

Suddenly, the woman pipes up, "That's okay; if your wife needs you..."

I shrug and give her a smile. He is not amused.

"She's not my wife," he snaps.

I fasten my sweater and pull on my heels. "That's right; just an Old and Dear Friend, right?" My sarcasm overflows as I feel my own anger rise. I get to my feet and head toward the door. "Enjoy your evening."

Suddenly, his hands are at my shoulders. "Awww, Kenz..."

(Note: What is it with these weird dreams? And I wake up just when things are getting interesting? What does it mean when you and your 'soul mate' argue in your subconscious?)

********************************

I'm with my favorite hero, and we are at a party/outing with friends/something like that. Things are going well; he's by my side and making me feel pretty darn special.

But there's another girl who is also being witty herself, and I can't help but feel slightly insecure; after all, I've been in this position before. I was confident of my hero's love and was therefore shattered when I realized the idiot had just dumped me for the other one.

I feel like I need to trust my sweetheart, but at the same time, I can't help wondering if in another week or so I'll find out they've been seeing each other behind my back? I try to stay calm and civil; after all, any show of jealousy will ultimately destroy our relationship, and give him ideas that may or may not be already crossing his mind?

And then the scene shifts...and we are alone, eating breakfast.

"I thought we'd just stay in today, Kenz, and laze around watching football and eating popcorn." He reaches for my hand and gives me that special smile.

My heart melts. I love lying in his arms, sharing a bowl of popcorn while we cheer on out teams!

Maybe I really do have nothing to worry about??

Fingers Crossed!

2011-02-25T06:54:00.000-08:00

I sent off a submission to Secret Cravings yesterday, and have already had a confirmation e-mail, letting me know I should hear back in about a week:) Here's hoping they like it!

How Much Is Too Much?
A friend and I were discussing book releases yesterday, and how many releases per year are too many?

My goal at the moment is two per year. That gives me six months to promote each one, and it gives me 'breathing space'. I don't want to suddenly 'take the publishing world by storm' only to fizzle out and have my place taken by another go-getter.

No, I would rather build a solid group of readers who anxiously wait for my next release, knowing there will be one or two a year.

I do have friends who crank them out month after month, and I applaud their tenacity at keeping at it. I never want my writing to become a chore; I want it to be something I enjoy. I wonder at their promotions sometime. How effective is the promo when you're hurrying to meet deadlines; editing; AND suddenly yelling all over the internet, "OMG! I totally forgot my book came out today!"??

One author recently revealed she had four (4, and I'm NOT making this up!) releases on the same day. HUH??? Yes, with three different publishers. That just boggles the mind. Which book will she showcase? Will she take turns? What happens the rest of the year?

If I'm wrong about the effectiveness of the marketing, please let me know. Granted, I've been waiting for one book to be edited for over a year, and word of acceptance now for nine months. And with this new submission....If all four are released this year, I hope they are spaced far enough apart so I don't have someone bringing this post to my attention and calling me a hypocrite.

What's your take on this? And yes, if you're a part of what I call the 'Book-of-the-Month' Club, please enlighten me?

Will the Real Kenzie Michaels Please Stand Up?

2011-02-21T05:22:00.000-08:00

(Applause)

Welcome to Tell The Truth! Please introduce yourselves.

Hi, my name is Kenzie Michaels

Hello, my name is Kenzie Michaels.

Hello to you both! Welcome!

KM1: Thank you. It’s nice to be here.

KM2: (nods politely)

Would you please describe yourself as a child?

KM1: I was outgoing; I constantly shouted ‘Look at me! See what I can do!”, and made friends very easily.

KM2: I was always reading; I had only one best friend, and was painfully shy.

How about the high school years?

KM2: I was still shy; however, my best friend was popular and I met a lot of friends through him. I was in band and worked in the school library.

KM1: I found myself in the uncomfortable position of having my best friends’ boyfriends wanting to date me. I refused the first one, dated the second, and quit helping my friend the third time. All I was trying to do was HELP her; not steal her boyfriends away!

KM2: I remember that; you only dated the second guy after you got her blessing, right?

KM1: Of course!

How about college?

KM1: Did I go to college?

KM2: I majored in Social Work and had dreams of saving abused kids. You were busy partying.

KM1: Oh, that’s right. I discovered the opposite sex was a lot of fun!

KM2: I dated also, but more seriously. I had four long-term relationships…

KM1: And a couple of duds…

KM2: Well, yes. But I ended up with some great research for my books!

KM1: You mean our books.

KM2: If you want to get technical about it….

Okay, okay. Let’s talk about your writing career. What’s your writing style?

KM1: I started writing three years ago, when these characters jumped into my head and wouldn’t leave. It was the funniest thing! One minute I’m driving down the street, and the next minute, there’s an ex-con inside my head, yelling at me to write his story! And a few months later, I remembered a gigantic crush I had on my son’s teacher, so I thought, ‘what if I had been divorced…’ And that moment at the stove when two characters were arguing over the fact she was in HIS kitchen,…that was bizarre! Not to mention the other plots which arrived while I was in the shower, sitting at McDonald’s, at my class reunion….

KM2: We get the picture. Your imagination went into overdrive. Me, I write more slowly. I worked on a book for five years before I decided on how to end it. My ideas come from observations I made while pursuing my degree. I decided there were stories which needed to be told, so others would recognize signs of danger ahead.

KM1: You wanted to be Judy Bloom or Lavyrle Spencer. I was corrupted by Anny Cook.

How do you promote your work?

KM1: I spend a great deal of time online. I chat, blog, and beg people to interview me.

KM2: I set up at craft shows, arrange book signings at stores, and I’m always willing to encourage other writers.

KM1: I did Blog Talk Radio once and embarrassed the producer when the excerpt I read on air had the word ‘pussy’ in it. And I’m not talking cat. My stuff is on the explicit, bedroom door-open-style.

KM2: I try to leave something to the imagination. My readers are, after all, could be as young as twelve.

KM1: Not mine. They’d better be at least 18, although my daughter read my first pubbed book and pronounced it ‘tame’. She claimed she’d read worse at school, and she was fourteen!

KM2, you said you were shy. Would you still call yourself that today?

KM2: Absolutely! Put me in a group setting by myself, where I don’t know anyone, and I’m terrified!

KM1: ROLFMAO! Okay, as your friend BC Brown put it, you suffer situational shyness. Ask anyone at your writer’s group: You talk more than anyone else!

KM2: (blushing) Well, okay. I guess I’ve come out of my shell a bit.

KM1: A bit? You do realize the only reason I can only blog once a week is because YOU steal all the blogging ideas.

KM2: Then how do you explain the past month?

KM1: No internet access. Plus the sub-zero temps made me want to seek a warmer climate. And you were too busy answering your email. I haven’t checked mine since last year!

KM2: True. You did participate in several chats, though.

So when is your next release?

KM1: Mine was last November, and I’m waiting for word on two more submissions. I think I’m giving up on one of them, and sending it somewhere else.

KM2: I’m also waiting for word of acceptance. I really hope I hear soon. A reader came in three months ago and asked if it was available yet.

Okay ladies. Time to identify. Will the real Kenzie Michaels please stand up?

KM1 stands.

(Applause)

And Number 2, would you please introduce yourself?

KM2: I’m actually Molly Daniels. But this was fun!

Talking To Myself

2011-02-14T03:23:00.000-08:00

Welcome! Please introduce yourself and tell us about your latest release.

My name is Kenzie Michaels and I'm addicted to reading...wait, wrong introduction. This is where I'm supposed to say I'm addicted to writing or my computer, right?

My latest release is all about how the lives of four people can change over the course of six days. Is it Fate? Free Will? You decide:) Wild At Heart is available at www.xoxopublishing.com and on Kindle:)

Have you ever had an idea for a story which scared you after you began writing it?

Hell yes! I'm working on one right now, on and off, which is scarily mirroring a friend's life.

Have you incorporated actual events from your own life into your books?

Hee hee hee...wouldn't you like to know? Actually, I fictionalize Life a great deal. Such as the opening scene in Teacher's Pet. Ahhh, now there was a fantasy! Too bad I couldn't ACT on it!

How much research do you do? Do you research first and then write, or do you write first, then research as needed?

It depends. Sometimes I'll come up with a topic or situation and research first; other times I'll do it on an 'as needed' basis.

Is there any message you want readers to take from reading your work?

No; just fun and relaxation is all I'm happy with. Unless they decide to try out a bedroom scene or two....and let me know if it will or will not work, lol!

Are you a plotter or a pantser? And have you ever had a story take on a life of its own?

I'd have to say up to this point, I've been a pantser. I get an idea and start at the beginning and write til the end. And talk about stories taking on lives of their own....I had no idea Wild At Heart was going to spend half the book in Colorado! Or that a certain plot twist would occur in Teacher's Pet.

How long did it take for you to be published?

I'm embarrassed to reveal it took me only three months for All She Ever Wanted, and with only one rejection notice (see next question). Wild At Heart, however, took three years.

If you could go back and tell yourself anything when you first began your writing career, what would you say?

Per the previous question....READ THE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES! That's why ASEW was rejected the first time. I hadn't followed the rules. Otherwise, I'd maybe be part of the EC Family...

Laptop or pen and ink? What are your ‘must-haves’ when writing?

Either one. I wrote Teacher's Pet with both, when my kids needed the computer for homework. As for must-haves....Iced tea, cookies, or a sandwich for breaks.

Who are your favorite authors? Who would you say influenced you the most?

Check my blog roll for my fave e-authors. Amarinda Jones encouraged me to write something with more 'heat', and TP was the result. I've also been influenced by Danielle Steele in my POV issues. A habit I'm trying to break.

What would your readers be surprised to learn about you?

I don't think there's much they don't already know...I play the drums; I'm a good crisis counselor; I'm also a closet rock-n-roll chick; and my bff was the basketball star when we were in HS. I was a band geek who worked in the library. God only knows how or why we became friends!

For Fun:

What is your favorite love scene to write or read? (ie: First kiss, passion after a fight, reunion)

I'm a sucker for reunion scenes!

What is your favorite Valentine’s Day memory?

Hmmmm....it could be one of three. In the 4th grade, the boy I had a crush on gave me a beautiful homemade Valentine; when I was 20, I received my first ever red rose; and in 1988, I broke up with my boyfriend, but another friend took me out to dinner and presented me with a tiny stuffed bear who sat on the dash of my car for years. That friend later became my spouse.

Sweetest gift ever given to you?

Hahahaha,....'Co-Pilot', the bear:)

Thank you for being here today! Please tell us where we can find your books.

All She Ever Wanted is available at Freya's Bower and Kindle

Wild At Heart is available at XOXO Publishing and Kindle.

Teacher's Pet will also be released soon (I hope!) at Freya's Bower, as soon as edits are approved:)

I'm Ba-ack:)

2011-02-12T11:10:00.000-08:00

Didja miss me?

Hahahahaha.....

Seriously, I've been thrown into a a bad teenage soap opera. (Sighing dramatically) Drama, oh how I hate thee.....But at least Molly has great material for another character, should she or I need to channel an angry child!

Okay. Onto the topic at hand. What was it again? Oh yeah...publishing secrets or something like that. Hang over while I pop over and check.

Okay, it's really dirty little secrets about writing. And since you all know by now that a) I write when the muse is hot (by that, I mean in spurts) and b) I don't have maid service, a private jet, or even am independently wealthy, what more is there to say? Since next week's topic is a self interview, I'll have Molly interview me, and I'll post it here. Whaddya say? So come back in a few days for everything Kenzie:)

Tangled Threads

2011-01-22T09:03:00.000-08:00

I know I'm late with this post, and early for next week's, so I'm going to combine them. I also thank everyone who's asked about me! You miss me:) You already know about my internet woes, so here's a post to cheer you up.

Sometimes I will actually sit down and begin writing 'once upon a time' straight through to 'they lived happily ever after'. I did that with 'Wild At Heart', 'Class Reunion', and 'Off The Clock'. But sometimes a scene comes to me and demands to be written out of order.

When that happens, sometimes it is hard to piece together the separate strands of the story, and so they lay jumbled for a while. And then inspiration strikes, and the transition scenes are written.

But sometimes the scenes refuse to join, or new scenes enter the brain. When that happens, I try to reuse them in other stories. For example, I wrote a skinny-dipping scene and never used it. It is still gathering dust, waiting for the day when I can rework it. Actually, what I originally had written became part of the back story for the original character; the only thing I had to do was bring up the incident in conversation.

But again, I'm with everyone else when I say that what works for one writer won't always work for another. And as for those one chapter wips I have lying around....I'm going to take Brynn's advice and made a road map of what I foresee happening with the characters. It might help get me out of this 'black hole' of non-ideas.

Now, as for next week's topic of 'My Story Written by Shakespear'...'Romeo and Juliet' sort of works for All She Ever Wanted, and I can't think of what play would characterize Wild At Heart...Check back next week, after I read the others' posts! Maybe I'll get inspired?

Meet the Ladies of Wild At Heart:)

2010-12-22T04:45:00.000-08:00

Today I have the honor of sitting down with Angela Clayborn and Emma Nichols, co-heroines from Wild At Heart.

K: Greetings ladies:)

A: Can you believe this awful weather? Brrr....

E: Hi Kenzie:) I've never been to Indiana before. Is the ice typical this time of year?

A: Not this early. Normally this stuff arrives in January. My shop's been closed all day, due to it being too treacherous.

E: Yeah, wintertime in the Rockies is usually our slow period also. I'm usually traveling around doing trade shows, advertizing the riding stables and drumming up interest in my brother's woodworking shop.

K: So there's no hard feelings between you two?

A: Not at all. I think we're all happier now. Wouldn't you say, Emma?

E: Yeah. Who knew I'd fall in love in six days?

K: What are you doing in Indiana, Emma?

E: Brad had a business meeting at the home office, so I tagged along. I hope my horses are being taken care of; my mare is due to foal in the next few weeks and I'm anxious to get back. But with this ice, our flight was delayed.

K: I've tried to get Brad to talk to me, but he won't.

E: I've kept him pretty busy:) I'm also training him as a part-time stable hand.

K: What about you, Angie? Are you happy with the way things worked out?

A: I can't believe I was in such denial about Steve. I had started dating Brad because my friends thought he was perfect for me, but it just goes to show you can't force chemistry.

E: And you and Steve definitely have it! We went out to dinner last night before the ice hit, and Steve couldn't keep his hands off of her!

A: Well neither could you and Brad!

K: I also want you both to know that your story will be available on Kindle the week before Christmas.

E: Cool! Brad's getting me one so I can find that scene in Anny's book!

A: Who's book?

K: Anny's a good friend of mine, Emma. Contact me when you get your Kindle and I'll email Anny's website to you. She's got a lot of other books you might like, plus I'll introduce you around to other wonderful e-books and authors.

E: Awesome! Thanks!

A: I told Steve I wanted a Nook for Christmas. After that controversy on Amazon a few months ago, I'll buy from somewhere else.

E: They pulled the book, Angie....but I see your point.

K: And none of my books are on the Nook yet, so if you want to read them, Kindle's the way to go. Time's up ladies; I need to fix dinner for the family. Thanks for coming by!

A: Thanks for the yummy cookies! I need your recipe.

E: Don't tell Nora, but your chocolate chips are better than hers.

K: I think the recipe's going to be in an XOXO Publishing cookbook. I'll let you know:)

Wild At Heart,
Available now at XOXO Publishing
http://xoxopublishing.com/shop-online/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=12&products_id=107

Interview with Steve Blumenthal from Wild At Heart

2010-12-16T10:01:00.000-08:00

Today I'm interviewing Steve Blumenthal, one of the heroes in my latest release, Wild At Heart.
Thanks for being willing to chat with me today Steve:)

S: No problem. I just have one question before you start.

K: Sure; go ahead.

S: What happened to the storyline I gave you? I told you I was trying to reform; my town didn't 'get it', and instead, you come up with this complicated love square--

K: Quadrangle.

S: Whatever. Quadrangle-happy now?- about myself, the girl I love, and her kinky-assed boyfriend...

K: Okay, stop right there. First of all, You cornered ME while I was driving down the road. I couldn't just stop and write, could I? I had to let your storyline swirl around in my head for a few days.

S: You call two weeks a 'few days'? And how the hell did you end up setting half the book in Colorado?

K: No idea. I hadn't even planned on it. But, Angie said her boyfriend was out of town, and when I went to write his scene, I'd just been discussing our 2002 vacation to Estes Park with my kids, and reminiscing. I guess it was the first place which jumped into my head.

S: Whatever.

K: Ultimately, you did get what you wanted. You managed to work with your parole officer to find employment....

S: Yeah. How many ex-cons are that lucky to find something on their first try?

K: Steve, did you ever consider maybe your PO had an inside track on employers willing to give second chances?

S: Oh....I didn't think of that....

K: So you find out Angie has her own business and a boyfriend....what gave you the courage to keep pursuing her, even after she threw you out of her shop?

S: Ah, my Angela...you know, her green eyes turn all fiery and smoke swirls out of her ears...God she's beautiful when she's angry! I used to torment her in high school just to see how far her temper would take her. She used to just cry, which would kill me, and I'd get her alone later and apologize. But wow, can that girl pack a punch! I'm proud of her for standing up to me.

K: Why do guys do that, anyway?

S: It lets us know you have some passion. Guys don't want girls who'll let 'em walk all over them. We want a fighter. Or at least I do, anyway. You ever hit your man in anger?

K: Well...I did call him an idiot....and yes, I've yelled at him in the past. But lately? No.

S: Why not?

K: Because...wait a minute. I'm supposed to ask the questions.

S: Awe, c'mon Kenzie...bring him to the club and I'll let you put a pie in his face. Or dump a drink on him. Whaddya say?

K: I thnk this interview has gotten way off track! Here's some news for you: You're going to be available on Kindle by Christmas. Happy New Year!

S: Happy New Year to you. And think about what I said; you need to show your man some spirit.

K: Goodbye Steve....

Wild At Heart,
Available now at XOXO Publishing
http://xoxopublishing.com/shop-online/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=12&products_id=107

Mixing Old and New

2010-12-12T10:53:00.000-08:00

1991 was my first married Christmas. My hubby and I opened presents, then drove an hour to my parents' house.

We moved our family thirty miles south in 1997, and did what every family does: We compromised and every other year was spent at either his parents or mine.

But everyone agrees our favorite Christmas was 1998: We were snowed in. The kids were thrilled they could play with their toys; we fixed a leisurely lunch and put together the new TV/VCR cart. Built a fire in the fireplace and just relaxed.

2006 saw us moving into my MIL's house. D's father had passed in 2000 and his mother was now in the nursing home. And we were now three hours away from my parents, so trips were scheduled only every few months.

Sometimes we'll go up Christmas Eve; sometimes Christmas or the day after. A lot depends on the weather. I like it when my dad's side of the family has their party around the same time: One year we traveled to my aunt's house on Christmas Eve, and followed my parents to their home afterward. The following year, we reversed it. But this year, plans are up in the air. I know I want to go to Christmas Eve services at my home church, and hopefully Mom and Dad won't mind the addition of the two dogs.

And my aunt started a new tradition a couple of years ago when my cousin had separated from her husband. Since no one was in a festive mood, she decided to fix Italian food. So now instead of ham or turkey, she provides the pasta, meatballs, and choice of Marina or Alfredo sauce; the rest of us bring appetizers or desserts. But no word what's happening this year: My cousin's bitter divorce has been finalized, and I think she and her girls are living at home until they can find another house..

Our home isn't very festive this year either. My hubby's unemployment has run out; I can't seem to find anyone willing to hire me (okay, yes, I work in the bookstore. But it's on a volunteer basis!); I'm seriously considering wrapping up some forgotten toys to put under the tree for the youngling. He is on the Wish Tree at school and at church, so maybe someone will get him something nice. But for the first time in 19 years, there will be no presents under the tree for either myself, D, or our two older kids. That's why I want to go to Grandma's; so everyone will have something.

And besides, Christmas is about family, right? And what I dearly want for Christmas is a hot, steamy shower in a bathroom! Not to mention having my dryer fixed. So I predict I'll be doing laundry at Mom's...where I can wash and dry everything, not just the socks, underwear, and few choice clothing that I haul to a friend's house to put in her dryer!

Oh, and did I mention my birthday is a week from today? I'm also praying our cable, internet, and phone aren't shut off before the Survivor Finale. That's how I'll be spending my evening.

Tis The Season:)

2010-12-06T09:37:00.000-08:00

First of all, don't forget about the Kris Kringle Kontest! Click on the Santa icon to the left or see underneath for contest info.

Secondly, is it possible to have a Release Week hangover? I've been promoting Wild At Heart everywhere I can think of, and trying not to let all the congratulatory comments and emails go to my head....

Last, how in the world do I manage this time of year? Simple. I take the month off from writing, other than pending edits, and bake cookies. I've been fortunate to only have minor writing assignments: In 2008, I had to add a few chapters to my already submitted manuscript, and had no time line. Last year, I signed the contract for Teacher's Pet and the only writing I did besides blogging was my family's Christmas Newsletter.

This year, I'm doing edits when I feel like it; baking; and learning to get along without a dryer until the heating element in ours can be repaired. I haul a load over to a friend's house twice a week, to keep my youngest in clean socks. The dryer troll has managed to eat all but four pairs of his socks.

Want another excerpt of Wild At Heart? Okay; you twisted my arm! Click on the 'Excerpts' page and enjoy:)

Guest Blogging Today...

2010-12-04T08:11:00.000-08:00

I'm over at Brigit's World today. Come by and say hello:)

And don't forget to enter the Kris Kringle Kontest! Details are on the left side of this page:)

Sound The Trumpets! Something 'Wild' Is Out!

2010-11-30T14:10:00.001-08:00

I've posted the spicy excerpt over at Molly's Musings; you get the tame one. I know; not fair, right? In all fairness, how do you know when you've made it 'big' in publishing? No, I'm not talking about paychecks, or the movie version of your book....although that would be a big deal!

No, what I'm talking about is the title of your book being discussed by someone else's characters. So here's my tribute to one of my fellow authors:

Warning: Contains Adult Material:
“Want to try a little experimenting?” he nuzzled her ear. “I could put it in here…” He reached around her hips and skimmed his fingers across her smooth buttocks.

Her eyes widened. “Seriously?” She began to laugh.

“I never kid about that,” he murmured, biting her nipple gently. “What’s so funny?”

She turned a glorious shade of red. “One of the girls on the trail the other day…she’d, ah, brought one of those electronic things for books, you know? Well, while we were resting, she let me look at it, and she had this e-book, and well…” she swallowed. “The scene I read had them…doing that.” She threaded her fingers through his hair as he moved slowly in and out. “Ohhh…have you ever tried it?” Her voice had grown softer with each word.

Brad withdrew when he saw her wince. “No, I haven’t. But I’d like to try it. Game?”

“It certainly caught my attention,” she admitted. “What the hell…if I don’t like it, you’ll stop?”

“I’ll stop the minute you tell me to,” he promised, rolling off of her and getting on his knees. “What did the book say?”

Emma flipped over on her stomach. “The woman was bent over pillows, but I think if I just relax….wait a minute.” She scrambled out of bed and opened the door. Brad heard her in the other room, and soon she returned with a bottle of lotion. “Use this, and use plenty.” She flopped down on her stomach again and breathed in and out several times. Brad placed a trail of kisses from the nape of her neck to the small of her back. He shook a generous amount of the scented lotion into his hand and lathered up his penis, slicking some around and just inside her puckered anus. He positioned himself above her and slipped inside her vagina, causing another moan from her. “We didn’t try this last night….I like it.” Her voice muffled by the pillow.

(Later in the book...)

“A little rain’s not going to keep him away, surely,” Brad objected.

Emma shook her head. “Did you not notice the temperature difference? When the rain falls, it is cold, and can sometimes have snow mixed with it. This time of year, anything can happen.”

“Cool. I haven’t seen snow since March,” Brad grinned.

“Tourists!” Emma rolled her eyes.

“Natives!” Brad mimicked her. “Don’t fall asleep this time. I don’t want to take a wrong turn.”

“Oh, like that’s going to happen. Just stay on this highway and you can’t miss it. And besides, with that sperm enema you gave me, I’m going to have to use the facilities soon.” Emma laughed as he stuck out his tongue at her. “Seriously, I’ve got to order that book when I get home.”

“What was it called?”

“Everything Lovers Can Know. By some woman named Anny Cook,” Emma yawned. “That girl who let me read it; she raved about Anny and her other books.”

“If it puts you in the mood to experiment, by all means, get it and the rest.” Brad squeezed her thigh.

“I just might do that.”

“A litt

To find out about more of Anny's books, go here.

Wild At Heart and Contest!

2010-11-29T05:12:00.000-08:00

I'm dancing around the room. Why? I just sent the final edits back to my editor, and am hoping she doesn't want to kill me. Hopefully, hopefully, everything will go well and this afternoon my 'baby' will be on its way to the virtual bookshelf for YOU, dear reader! It will make a nice Christmas present for anyone who enjoys my work:)

Why am I hoping she won't want to throttle me? Simple. I have two sentence fragments on the first page of the manuscript. What's the big deal? She wanted them joined together, in order to be grammatically correct. Problem is, I don't feel it needs to be grammatically correct.

In fact, you tell me: I'll post both paragraphs and let you judge. What's in it for you? I'm feeling generous: You'll get a freebie. Consider it an early present from me:)

Her way:

Steve Blumenthal, he was her high school sweetheart. Star basketball player, with a promising NBA career after college. Three years ago, the Chicago Bulls had moved him up to a starting position, with the media recording his every move. With the pressure mounting, he’d tried drugs. Angie had discovered him in her apartment late one night, in the act of disconnecting her stereo.

My way:

Steve Blumenthal. Her high school sweetheart. Star basketball player, with a promising NBA career after college. Three years ago, the Chicago Bulls had moved him up to a starting position, with the media recording his every move. With the pressure mounting, he’d tried drugs. Angie had discovered him in her apartment late one night, in the act of disconnecting her stereo.

My compromise:

Steve Blumenthal, her high school sweetheart. Star basketball player, with a promising NBA career after college. Three years ago, the Chicago Bulls had moved him up to a starting position, the media recording his every move. As the pressure mounted, he’d tried drugs. Angie had discovered him in her apartment late one night, in the act of disconnecting her stereo.

But that's not all: I've partnered with Romance Books R Us, and we're giving away a Kindle, preloaded with goodies for you! The rules are posted on the upper left side of this blog, and keep checking back for the answer to my question, posted beneath them. And yes, I'll repost the question frequently. So good luck:)

Signs of Success

2010-11-28T04:18:00.000-08:00

"OMG! Kenzie's here!"

"Is your next book out yet? Please say yes...."

(Tackle hugs) "Kenzeeeeeeeee!"

"Dear Kenzie, I just finished reading your latest work and it ROCKS! You've intrigued me with one of your minor characters though; could you make (him/her) the subject of your next one?"

"Ms Michaels has written a well-penned, steamy romance which will leave you unable to put it down. This is one author I will definitely put on my 'auto-buy' list!"

"Can I have your autograph Ms Michaels?"

"You've written how many books? WOW!"

The above are varying degrees of what I term success. I walk into an informal gathering and have many people greet me. I show up at a chat and am affectionately cyber-hugged. I get a favorable review. Fan mail. Or I'm pressed for an interview.

I also feel successful when I finish edits without wanting to strangle my editor (or my family, LOL!). Or I finish a wip and celebrate with a glass of wine.

I guess I will really count it as successful as long as I am happy doing what I'm doing, meeting new people, and making a little bit of money while doing it.

Of course, the ultimate goal is to make six figures...but until that time, I'm a success every time I get an acceptance letter, not a rejection.

Looking Forward

2010-11-22T06:42:00.000-08:00

In the year 2015....
-K will be a year out of college and hopefully working somewhere in his chosen profession;
-S will be in her 2nd year of college;
-W will be a happy 5th or 6th grader and about to cross over to Boy Scouts.

I sincerely hope we will be in a better financial position to be living in a house with two bathrooms again (I'm not greedy; I'll settle for a bath and a half. I just want two toilets and a bona fide, enclosed shower!). I'd also like to be able to hang my pictures on the walls, and to have my candles and special knick-knacks on display.

Career-wise, I hope to have every single current wip published, and be doing well both creatively and financially. I will have my own laptop; I'll be able to attend conferences and regularly get together with my online friends. The bookstore will be doing well; I'll be caught up with my extensive TBB list and will be able to buy as many books as I want, maybe not the day the new ones come out, but definitely faster than six months to a year down the road!

Hubby will quit griping about the amount of time I spend at the computer...I'll even be able to PROVE this is a 'real job' and he'll encourage me to keep going. (Okay...I'm allowed to have some 'out there' dreams, LOL!)

Roxie the cocker spaniel might still be living; she will be 13.
Cheyenne will be 5, and Oreo 7. Maybe I can even have another Beta fish again. We had Z, Y, and X; time for W. Or maybe 'Z-2'?

Basically, I hope to be still writing, still publishing, and in a better house with healthy and happy kids. And that's all anyone could hope for.

Dream Come True

2010-11-19T09:27:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: I've had cover flats made up, and will be signing them tonight and tomorrow at our annual Santa Stroll. And if I've forgotten to mention, I'm one of six Grand Marshals of our Parade of Lights tonight. I'll also be signing tomorrow at The Mockingbird Book Emporium. Camera batteries are being charged as I type this, so hopefully I'll have pictures to post next week!

And editor Tim says my ms up to page 35 looks great:) So only 65 pages left...

I'm over at the RBRU blog today, but if you don't want to go over there, here's the repost:

Have you ever had a story take control of your life and demand to be written? And then have trouble finding others to 'get' what you're trying to convey?

Meet Steve Blumenthal. He did a stupid thing; got caught; and was sent to prison for two years. During his time, he defended the underdog and studied for a degree in Culinary Arts. The problem is, he was a promising NBA star. And his hometown won't forget how he's let them down.

Enter Steve's high school/college sweetheart, Angela Clayborn. She's the one who caught him trying to steal her stereo, and ended up sending him to prison. When Steve is released early, she's unsure of her feelings when she comes face to face with him after that traumatic night.

I think I've already recounted the story about how this came about: A news blurb about prison reform caught my attention and all of a sudden 'Steve' was in my head, saying he was trying to prove he'd learned his lesson, but the town wouldn't believe him.

What came out of my fingers was a story about how circumstances over the course of six days can change the lives of four people. Two other characters, Brad Morrison, who is Angie's current boyfriend, is sent to Colorado on business. As he's wrapping up his trip, he is given the opportunity to explore the town of Estes Park and the adjoining Rocky Mountain National Park. He is soon caught up in the drama of a defiant young woman struggling to keep her brother's woodworking business going, as well as managing her own riding stable.

I've had issues with the story since I wrote it three years ago. I had critique partners tell me 'Steve' was too angry, and they couldn't get past the first chapter. I've tried to tone him down, only to have him snarl in my head 'Don't change me, damn it!'

Finally, a fresh pair of eyes showed me how to contain his anger...and it was accepted for publication. This is my favorite Kenzie story so far; I hope it does well. And I'm excited and thrilled to announce it will be available Nov 23rd or 29th from XOXO Publishing.

Excerpts:
#1 Steve and Angie

“Oh Ange,” he sighed. “I’ve missed your smile. You’re still the most beautiful girl…woman, I know.”

Her smile faded. “This, coming from a man who’s been locked away. Right.

“Why don’t you believe me?” He scooted closer to her and tentatively reached for her hand. “Don’t sell yourself short. Josh told me about the store, and how your jewelry is selling…Honey, I told you years ago you’d go far with it.”

The close contact and the pressure of his hand made her chest constrict. She took another shaky sip of her water and jumped when Steve reached for the glass and set it on the table. He stood up, drawing her upwards. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles.

“I’m just going to say this,” he said, his voice rough. “I love you. You’re the one thing that kept me going, that kept me from going to ‘Prison Tech 101’. After I got clean, I decided I was going to do whatever it took to serve my time, and get a respectable job, all so I could win you back.” He cleared his throat. “God, Ange…I swear to you…that one dose of speed fucked up my future, but I’m not going to let it fuck up the rest of my life. I’m staying with Josh; I’ve got my driver’s license; tomorrow I’m buying a car. And my parole officer’s trying to help me get a good job, so I can afford my own place.” His voice dropped to a whisper and one hand stole into Angie’s bright tresses. His head angled toward hers and softly touched his lips to hers. When his tongue nudged her lips open and touched hers, she recoiled and dropped her head on his chest.

“Don’t,” she whispered. “I can’t…”

Excerpt 2: Brad and Emma

"Just the person I was looking for,” Gavin called. “This is Frank’s niece, Emma. Em, this is the financial wizard I was telling you about.”

Brad smiled warily at her as he slid onto the stool next to her at the counter. “I wouldn’t call myself a wizard, but I can certainly help with anything needed.”

“You!” Emma’s bloodshot eyes narrowed. “Are you snooping around my family’s business? We’re not about to knuckle under to pressure; I’ll fight with everything I have to hang onto the place.”

“Emma! Relax,” Gavin restrained the girl as she swiveled, preparing to launch herself out of her seat. “What’s gotten into you?”

Brad sat back, hands raised.

“He came into the shop, asking questions,” Emma said, her teeth clenched. “And now he waltzes in here and you expect me to just turn everything over to him? Let me go, Gavin.”

“You’ve jumped to conclusions again, girl.” Gavin easily swung her around and hugged her to his broad chest. “All I said was to let a pair of fresh eyes look at the books and see if he can spot where Ethan’s getting the money.”

“You mean losing it,” came a muffled sob. Emma’s stiff body gradually relaxed against his comforting arms.

Gavin chuckled. “We’re reasonably sure where he’s losing it, honey. If he continues to go to the reservation, then he’s got a gambling problem, and shouldn’t be allowed to run the store.”

“Then who the hell’s going to run it?” Emma demanded, drawing away and fiddling with the straw in her chocolate malt. “I certainly can’t. This is my busy season too.”

Brad cleared his throat as the waitress took his order. Gavin and Emma both had malts; he opted for a root beer float. “If I had access to your computer for a few hours tomorrow, I can certainly try to see any patterns.”

Emma laughed. “Computer? Well, that would make it easy, wouldn’t it? Only problem is, from what I can tell, Ethan’s not entered a damn thing into it in weeks. He keeps it all on an old-fashioned ledger, with the receipts stashed in various boxes. Good luck, Mr. Finance Wizard; you’re going to need more than a few hours.” She took a long drink of her malt as Brad’s float arrived. “When I did the books at tax time, it took me three days to enter all his numbers. I just don’t have time to go down there every day, and lately E’s been such a bear, I haven’t been down there in over three weeks.” She took a sip, turning back to Gavin. “What we need is a full-time bookkeeper. I’ll check my finances and see if we can swing it.” She cast a glance at Brad. “And if the Boy Wonder can work his magic, then we’ll really be able to see the whole picture.”

Go to the XOXO site or keep checking Kenzie's for more details:)

Busted!

2010-11-15T04:36:00.000-08:00

Three years ago, I was a writing machine. Doing the single parent thing, writing 1500 words per day, and putting dinner on the table each night. I wrote four books between Sept '07 and July '08. I had the world by the tail...or so I thought.

The first book took me four weeks. No problem.

I signed up for NaNo. OMG...the first week went well; the 2nd week was slightly slower. But I hit a major wall the 3rd week...and my family rebelled. I ended up having a meltdown in my daughter's principal's office when I couldn't get her out of bed; the stress of now needing 3K per day to reach my goal seemed enormous, PLUS I was hosting Thanksgiving. What the hell had I done?

Thankfully, the threat of having a uniformed policeman escort my daughter to school made her clean up her act. My characters started talking to me again, and soon things were back on track. I attained my goal, but was so creatively zapped, I took the entire month of December off to recharge. And wrote two more books, one in March and another over the 4th of July weekend.

But since then, I've written only partials. I've written five or six first chapters, and stalled. No idea of where to take it next. I've blamed it on family responsibilities; too much email; too much promotion; even writer's block.

Right now, I'm semi-blaming the hubby's health. Seriously.

Since his retinal detachment last March, my life has been turned upside down with his care, and having him home 24/7. And now I've been hanging out at the bookstore nearly 30 hours a week, just to get out of the house and away from his bad attitude! Thankfully, some things are coming together; watch for an announcement later this week.

But don't look to me for debunking any writing excuses: Right now, I'm the poster child for procrastination. BICHOK works....when you have the time. And right now, there aren't enough hours in the day. My NaNo word count? 400. After my edits are finished, I hope to improve that number in the next two weeks.

1980 Gold Medalist in Reading Olymics! Honest!

2010-10-17T10:15:00.000-07:00

I've always been a voracious reader.

For instance, as the title suggests, I entered the Reading Olympics along with my sister and a friend. The goal was to read twenty books in a month for the Gold medal; fifteen for the Silver; and ten for the Bronze.

My sister read ten.

K managed sixteen.

I read forty-five.

We had to have a parent's signature, and at first, my mother made me give her a brief summary of the book I had listed before she would sign off on it. But by the third book, she realized I was retaining the plot, characters, etc, and told me to just bring my sheet at the end of each day; she believed me.

I learned to read in Kindergarten. My favorite book was Spaghetti Eddie from the school library. I also loved my Disney Read-Al0ud books, with the record and 'Turn the page when Tinkerbell waves her little wand like this...(sound of tinkling bells)".

By the second grade, I was devouring biographies. My mother had given me her Harriet Beecher Stowe, Mary Mapes Dodge, Sagajawea, and Julia Ward Howe. I took one of them to school one day, and my teacher realized I was reading above my level. She took me to the 'big' library and let me check out more biographies on her card. I fell in love with the First Ladies, Virginia Dare, and Jane Addams.

Third grade, my teacher restricted me back to the 'baby' library. Thankfully, my mom was our Brownie Scout snack lady, so once a week while she was conferring with our Scout leader, I slipped down to the 'big' library and read to my heart's content.

I was introduced to Nancy Drew and Cherry Ames by the 5th grade; Vicki Barr and the Dana Girls by the 6th grade, and Mom let me read The Flame and the Flower by the end of my 6th grade year (I had my first boyfriend, and I decided I was 'grown up enough' to read Mom's romance books).

Judy Blume was rising in popularity, so I also devoured Are You There God, It's Me Margaret; Deenie; Blubber; Then Again Maybe I Won't, and First Love. I also haunted the jr. high library for new fiction and fell in love with books such as 'I Was A Teenage Alcoholic/Drug Addict/Teenage Mom'. I also read Dunesbury Comic books.

By high school, I was into the teenage 'First Love' from Silhouette Books, and other teenage romances. A friend introduced me to VC Andrews. And while on vacation, I ran out of reading material and purchased 'Dakota' by Dana Fuller Ross, beginning a twenty-year love-fest with Wagon's West. I also read Gone With The Wind, and was thrilled when I was finally allowed to watch the movie on TV.

I think the Thornbirds came out while I was in college; it might have been my senior year of high school. Dad also got me interested in John Jakes, and I read North and South before it bacame a mini-series. I had also eagerly watched 'Centennial', and while I didn't read the book all the way through until the 1990's, I did enjoy reading certain scenes I'd seen on TV. I didn't even watch every episode until TNT aired it in the early '90's. Somewhere, I have the last episode on tape.

Danielle Steele and Wagon's West was a staple in college; after I married, my mother introduced me to Nora Roberts and Catherine Coulter. Other friends introduced me to Lavyrle Spencer and W.E.B. Griffin. James Patterson. Michael Palmer. The list goes on.

In 2003, I read my first e-book and erotic romance, Water Lust by Mary Winter. It was an experiment to see if I was comfortable reading books on the computer. Surprise; I loved it! And in 2007, when I started communicating with several authors, I started purchasing their e-books. Finally last year, my hubby bought me a Sony Pocket E-reader, and it stays in my purse. I try to purchase anywhere from three to twelve books a month, and read anywhere I have to wait.

Some friends recently opened a new/used book store, and while my funds are limited for the e-book-buying, I have a pile of print ones on loan to me from the bookstore. I get paid in reading material, so I usually have four or five books tucked away. And I have several books on the shelves earmarked for 'next to be read'.

On my Recommend shelf, I've listed Mr. and Mrs. Bo Jo Jones (teen romance I loved!); Life Goes On (Christian Fiction); The First Patient (Medical Thriller by Michael Palmer); The Runaway Jury (Thriller by John Grisham); and The Dutchess (my favorite Jude Deveraux romance).

So yes, the genres have changed, and the amount of free time to read, plus the method has changed. But my love of the printed word will always remain the same.

"I Don't Have An Eating Disorder. Honest!"

2010-10-11T17:56:00.000-07:00

Somewhere out there, an eating disorder counselor is still not entirely convinced the caller on the other end of the phone is not in denial. It literally took me five minutes of stating the call was for research purposes; I enjoyed food waaaayyy too much to ever starve myself, much less regurgitate it willingly, to ever have an eating disorder. She finally sighed and agreed to answer my questions.

I'm not fully convinced she knew all the facts; I had spoken to several teens about the subject, who informed me there was a hybrid disorder at their school: Some days their friends wouldn't eat anything; three days later they were binging and purging. When I brought this up, the counselor insisted that would never happen. An anorexic would never binge; a bulimic would never go for days without eating.

So we came to a gray area where we silently agreed to disagree.

I have also had to convince a lawyer I was not being sexually harassed; a building inspector I was not having issues with anyone; and a restaurant hostess I HAD been a patron in the past decade, not a rival looking to blatantly rip off the place.

But right now, hubby thinks the strangest research I've done to date concerns two storylines fighting for attention in my brain. One involves about 10 hours of the Discovery Channel on the DVR; the other involves six hours of last year's Winter Olympic Figure Skating (Ice Dancing to be precise) on the DVR. I'll get to it eventually; but right now with my schedule, most of my shows are now being DVR'd and not being watched 'in a timely manner', and the SU pouts when he has to delete any episodes of Stargate. He threw the same mild hissy fit when I was on the Law and Order kick last year. But then again, we had two TV's and two DVR's. Being downsized to one is just sooo much of an annoyance....(insert hubby whine; dramatic sigh, whatever).

But as long as I'm able to type/write in longhand/dictate story ideas, I'm sure some sort of strange research will be needed. But such is the life of a writer!

Things I Wish I'd Known....

2010-10-04T07:37:00.000-07:00

Correct Point of View: Omniscient POV is no longer acceptable. Quit using 80's authors as models.

Promotion 101: It takes an average of 10 mentions of your name/title for people to go (head slap) You wrote that? I've got to get it! Know your pitch; keep it brief; and get out there and sell yourself!

Read Submission Guidelines Thoroughly: Yes, there are publishers out there who will automatically reject you if your subb is sent in the wrong format/you didn't use 12pt font/you sent it to the wrong editor/called editor 'Editor' (or wrong gender)/simply wrote 'Here's my submission...' If a friend sends you a head's up call, READ the guidelines, even if they are spelled out in the email? She may not have included everything.

Know When (or Where) It's Okay To Post Excerpts of Current WIP: Especially if it's uncontracted. Some publishers consider posts 'already published'. (I'm still figuring this one out.)

Know When To Shut Up About Your Work (directed at my alter-ego): Not everyone will be interested in hearing about ALL your books. Know when to recognize the signs you're boring your audience.

New Cover Art!!

2010-09-30T05:26:00.001-07:00

I have been truly blessed in the cover art department. I send in my form; they send me a sample; I make a suggestion; Beautiful!

For example, here's what landed in my inbox yesterday. While I like it, my initial reaction was, where's my romantic couple?

I showed it to my daughter, with my idea of cropping the mountain to one side and having my loving couple in either the upper left or right side. My artistic daughter suggested the center, so I emailed Amanda and this is what I received this morning.

Cover art gold, imho!

What do you think?

As soon as my excerpt and blurb are edited, I'll be able to post more. And since this story is truly my 'baby', I'm finally beginning to get excited about promoting it:) I just hope it's as well received as my other work.

In case I didn't mention it, it's slated for a Nov 23rd release. Now for the next phase: Editing the darn thing.

Rewriting History

2010-09-20T04:37:00.000-07:00

Everyone has their 'do-over' moment, the one where they would gladly go back in time and change the outcome of their life. For me personally, I have three.

1) I'd love to go back to 1986 and slap myself at a certain party, where I stupidly thought I was the date of the host; looking back, I clearly wasn't. I'd grab my soul mate (yes, met him that night!) and never let him go. Just to see if we'd ever get past the dating point and get rid of this 'what if' feeling. Twenty-four years later, that initial spark is still there, but we're bound by moral constraints not to act on it. He does get to be the hero in all of my books though:)

2) I'd go back and completely start 1987 all over again. This was the year of my rebellion, and in retrospect, I let a lot of opportunities go to waste. It was nothing but a year of one bad decision after another.

3) If I had to pick just one selfish moment, I'd go back to 1988 and take the opportunity nearly granted to go to Hawaii for Spring Break. My on-again, off-again boyfriend had hinted he was putting together a big surprise; my roommate and I speculated on everything from plane tickets to a diamond engagement ring. But since I 'knew him so well', when the opportunity arose for a relationship closer to home, I grabbed it. And then found out my 'surprise' was going to be a round-trip ticket for an awesome Spring Break! Since my budding 'relationship' was only two days old at that point, I offered to call it off. But he realized I needed something he couldn't provide at the moment: Love and affection closer to home. So he kept his money and I continued my second year of self-destruct-mode. The only thing my taking the trip to Hawaii would probably accomplish would be to finally put an end to the on-again, off-again part. I think if we had actually spent an entire week together, instead of a day here, a weekend there, we would have burned out a lot quicker than we did. But on the flip side, it did enable me to stay in touch with my soul mate!

The downside of any of these coming true?
-I wouldn't have met my now-husband;
-I wouldn't be the same person I am today;
-My kids wouldn't be the kids I have now.
-Would I be published? Who knows? My stuff might be buried in boxes somewhere, for only my enjoyment.

So when you put it like that, I'm pretty happy with the way life's turned out after all.

Good News!

2010-09-18T05:47:00.000-07:00

Someone is smiling down on me. I received some awesome news yesterday, something I've waited a long time for...no, it wasn't NY, LOL:)

Dear Kenzie,

Please note that your ebook Wild At Heart has been set for Nov 23, 2010 release.

And in another unrelated email.....

Hi Kenzie,

BTW, I may be your editor. Did I send the edits I had made when contracting your book? And if so, did you work on them? If not, I'll do it now. :)

And to add to this list of good news, I was also interviewed by my good friend Marianne Stephens over at the RBRU blog. Stop by and say hi?

Daughter came home with a dog yesterday. I'll post a picture as soon as we get one of her.

Publishers Behaving Badly....

2010-09-16T05:09:00.000-07:00

Awhile back, I blogged about authors behaving badly, and how one should conduct themselves in a professional manner. It's recently come to my attention some publishers need to do the same. (Thank you Melanie for your email and phone call!)

-Answer your email. I realize you may receive a ton of mail per day, but if your newly-contracted author has a valid question, at least forward it to someone who can answer in a timely fashion? And remember; I've most likely 'friended' or 'liked' you on FB, so remember I KNOW you're online and my email has been unanswered for weeks.

-Be honest. If the company is making money, authors should too. Please send checks/prizes won/royalties paid on time. Authors like to know our books are selling, even if what we've sold doesn't even meet the quarterly minimum. Please allow us access to our reports?

-Don't play favorites. Yes, I'm sure every publishing house has their golden child, the author who belongs to the release-of-the-month club and earns big bucks for the company. Remember they didn't start out that way; they worked their way into the Best Sellers like us newbies will...eventually.

-And let authors talk to each other. How can we get to know each other if you don't encourage interaction? You'll get better cross-promotion if we become friendly and can toot each other's horns once in a while. Trust me; my own blogmates do for their own publishing houses.

-Learn to spell, or at least proofread your posts. If you own your own publishing company, don't let me see typos every time you post. I can understand dyslexic fingers; I have them myself at times. But every single post?

-And if you request an interview on my alter-ego's blog, she sends out the questions a month in advance. Please send back the correct interview and respond to her 'gentle reminders'? She's easy to work with; just ask anyone who's been showcased the past eight months. Ask my blogmates; I'm a loyal person. If I like your books, I'll shout it from the rooftop. But if I don't, well, you won't hear it here. I'm polite that way.

But act unprofessional and believe me; I'll take my business elsewhere.

Ttttthhhhhbbbbbtttttttt!

2010-09-13T04:26:00.000-07:00

Dear Mrs. V,

Thank you for making my 4th grade year a living hell. Without that year, I might not have become the introverted, shy, little girl with the low self-confidence.

But guess what? There ARE caring teachers in the world; among them, Mrs. Y who encouraged me to keep writing five years later. Without your constant demeaning, I might never have developed the thick skin I have today, the very thick skin which allows me to put my work 'out there' and ready for rejection.

After nearly ten years of submitting to various publishers, I can finally say I've attained contracted published author status. One was published in 2009, and I hope to have two more this year. Three more are under consideration, and I'm hopeful for releases in 2011.

Thankfully, I endured one year under you, and my regret is that I vomited on Mrs. R's desk, not yours.

Unsincerely,
Your former 4th grade student

PS: The title of this blog is me sticking my tongue out and blowing a raspberry. I know; rather un-Christian-like of me. But at least I was cordial.

Did I REALLY Just Say That??

2010-09-06T04:59:00.000-07:00

(Kenzie looks around)

How many people heard my alter-ego on Blog Talk Radio last week?

(At least two people raise their hands)

That was a classic example of being over-confident about my topic, and thinking I knew what I would say. Ever have a conversation with someone and all of a sudden your brain is yelling, 'WTF??? That's NOT what I told you to say! SHUT UP! NOW!"

But the mouth keeps going...and suddenly the host is cutting you off because there's only one minute left in your allotted time frame!

The last time I was on BTR, I started out nervous, but eventually calmed down and picked what I thought was a tame excerpt to read. Except in the middle of it, I came upon the words 'cock' and 'pussy' and since a) it was nearly 3pm in the afternoon and b) I was talking to a MALE HOST, and c) I'm not even remotely comfortable saying those words, much less typing them, I tried to rush through it as soon as possible. And afterward, mentioned maybe the next time he has me on, we should do it at ten o'clock at night, in the event of another X-rated moment!

I've had head-slap moments on chat loops, when I've gushed over one author's books too much and afterward, thought I inadvertently insulted someone. I've expressed my opinion and been heavily criticized for what I read. Or I've accidentally interrupted a chat in order to promote myself.

I'll admit, I've used this space to deliberately blast someone for bad behavior (nope, not telling you the post or who it's directed at!) and I've vented my feelings toward a certain new divorcee friend in the throes of a mid-life crisis. That's okay; I've not posted any names and she doesn't read blogs anyway. Hell, I don't even think she reads the sample excerpts I've sent her the past year, or that she'll read any of my stuff until I get that million-dollar advance from NY. (Like THAT will ever happen...snort!)

But anyway, I've said it before; my skin has grown quite thick since embarking on this publishing venture. I've been bruised, but I heal quickly.

And I have plenty of online friends who offer cyber hugs when I'm down!

Write What You Know

2010-08-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

I misunderstood the topic again...and then I reread it. "Writing Places I've Never Been" had me griping about the various writing conferences I can never seem to attend. And then the light bulb went on....maybe they were talking about setting your stories in places you've never been!

I've only done this one time. The main character in my alter-ego's second book travels to California, and admittedly, I patterned it after some of my experiences in Florida. Fortunately, I have friends who have actually been to Apple Valley and George AFB, so I was able to interview them about distances, the buildings, and any other information I might have gotten wrong.

For this reason, I tend to set my stories in a small town setting, where I've lived for the past fifteen years. But when my characters do venture out, I make sure they go to towns where I've BEEN, so I know what I'm talking about and can be accurate about local landmarks and culture.

The story which is currently begging to be written is going to literally be a headache. Not only has the research caused me to view many hours of Discovery Channel, it has already caused arguments about why those episodes are still on our DVR. I'm scared I'll delete a program only to discover the reason I saved it in the first place was for a key bit of info. And when and if this story a) is written to my satisfaction and b) accepted by a publisher, I don't want to be slammed by anyone depicted for inaccuracies.

And it's for this very reason I usually stand by the mantra 'Write What You Know'.

But sometimes, the imagination insists you break out of your comfort zone. So, into the unknown I go.

I wonder if this series is on DVD yet? Until then, don't touch my DVR!

Creative Blockage

2010-08-24T09:07:00.000-07:00

I think I covered this last week, so I'm making this a brief post.

I keep up with the housework

I read a lot.

Surf the Web.

Plead with my muse to return...even if it takes months.

And sometimes, especially during NaNo, BICHOK works:) Not familiar with that term?

Butt In Chair Hands On Keyboard:)

When Kenzie Isn't Writing....

2010-08-16T12:47:00.000-07:00

How do I contain my creative side? I've been known to cross-stitch; experiment with recipes; dance; sing; and help my children with their art projects.

Cross-Stitch: It used to be only the stamped kind. Since my eyesight isn't the greatest, I didn't think I could see the tiny holes. But in 1994, my SIL gave me a counted cross-stitch, and I did rather well. For Christmas, everyone received something stitched by me. When we moved into our present home, I discovered several quilt blocks my MIL had started, but never finished. And since she didn't want them, I finished the one she'd begun, and started another one. It is still lying unfinished in my sewing bag. Lately, the only thing I've been sewing is buttons on my older children's McDonald uniform shirts!

Cooking: As previously mentioned, I went through a Food Network craze. Anything Rachael Ray, Paula Deen, Bobby Flay, or even an Iron Chef created, I'd look up the recipe, print it out, and attempt to re-create it in my kitchen, often modifying the recipe to my tastes and budget. I also subscribed to a free recipe magazine and still occasionally find one I want to try.

Dancing: I confess; when I'm alone, I crank up the music and dance around.

Singing: I'm one of those you see driving in the car, singing at the top of my lungs and pounding on the steering wheel (esp when 'Turn Up The Radio' is playing!

Kids' Art Projects: I had to do this more when my youngest was in Head Start. We made a car out of a Kleenex box; colored pictures; made paper airplanes; and most memorable, the rocket ship made out of a toilet roll tube. And no, don't have any pictures to show you.

I honestly never considered myself a 'crafty' sort of person. A friend squeals like a kid in a candy store when she enters old barns; she sees blank canvases in old saw blades, pots, ceramic tiles, etc. I just see old stuff. But put me in a paper store and I'm in heaven, while she wonders what the allure of blank diaries hold. And then a gift shop owner said to me, 'Only creative people see the potential in blank paper, whether it is a painting, drawing, or a yet-to-be-written book.'

Who knew? I'm an artist! One who can't draw a straight line to save her life, not even with a ruler, but still an artist.

Werewolves and Gargoyles and Dragons, Oh My!

2010-08-09T18:24:00.000-07:00

Last week I raved about Dakota Rebel's Vampires; this week, it's Ms Cindy Spencer Pape's turn in the spotlight as my other favorite creature characters.

Djinni and the Geek was the first book I'd ever read by this author. And I was instantly hooked.

Professor David Garvaglia is nobody’s idea of a hero. Is he? When David opens an antique box and finds a sexy Djinni in his bed, his desire for her is almost as powerful as his determination to set her free. Anissa has spent centuries as a prisoner of the box and has dreamed of the day some handsome master would release her. The scruffy computer geek isn’t what she expected, but everything about him turns her on.

While David and Anissa explore their explosive passion, he helps her adjust to the twenty-first century. Complicating things is an evil wizard who wants Anissa for himself. Between scorching sex in his faculty office and hacking government computers, David does everything he can to keep her safe—and satisfied.

As I was reading, I wanted to know more about Draco.

Computer science professor Eric Gordon has to find the hacker responsible for a virus on campus. When his investigations show some sort of reptile may be living in the steam tunnels under campus, he turns to biology professor Lori Tremain for help.

Lori’s life is crazy with her tenure review looming, but she’s too curious and way too attracted to Eric to turn down his request. Together, Lori and Eric uncover things that their scientific minds can barely imagine, along with a passion they never expected. She doesn’t have time for love or dragons, but adventure and romance find her anyway.

Recently, I thoroughly enjoyed Curses. Having been challenged to make a horror author my hero in one of my own books, I was surprised to learn Cindy had already accomplished it.

Some people really are cursed when it comes to love. For witch Melissa MacRae, a family curse means
that falling in love is the ultimate bad idea. Jonas Pierce is a werewolf, who has seen too much to consider
passing on his curse to another generation. So why does a summer fling in Sanctity Michigan,
have them both thinking about happily ever after?

And finally, I've come to love her gargoyles. I've read all but Stone and Fire; it should be coming up soon on my ever-growing TBB list. But here's the blurb from Stone and Earth:

Gargoyle Damien St. Pierre has to find an ancient artifact needed by his people. When he meets earth witch Katie Calhoun, he can't keep his hands off her. Because of the problems his people are having, Damien is afraid to attempt the conversion necessary to make her his mate. But Katie is determined to help him in his quest and to become the gargoyle of his dreams. Can her faith overcome his fear? Will the magic of love succeed in the mating of stone and earth?

Enjoy!

Vampires? Not Really My Type....

2010-08-02T04:48:00.000-07:00

I loved George Hamilton's Dracula. For days after seeing this movie, I dreamed of a romantic guy with his looks to sweep me off my feet...and then I saw The Empire Strikes Back and forgot all about Dracula and fell in love with Han Solo again.

I'm not even on Team Edward; I prefer Jacob.

But there are two vampire stories out there I DO enjoy reading. Both are by the same author, and in fact, if I hadn't won her first contest, there's a chance I might have missed out on these books. I just didn't care to read them...until Dakota Rebel came along.

And she's even added a new twist; her books are also M/M. And she keeps the story moving.

Mitch:
When mortal Bounty Hunter Mitch Baine decides to spend one night breaking all the rules with a sexy masked vampire, he has no idea that the stranger is Jarrod Axlerod, lead singer of the famous band Heartstrings, or that he will be contracted to kill the vampire the very next day.

Mitch Baine has been trained from very early on that the only good vampire is a dead one. A lesson cemented into his brain after years of killing them on contract for the US Army. But his feelings toward the creatures begin to change after spending an incredible night with one at a masked ball.

When he receives his newest contract, he is horrified to see that the vampire he has been hired to kill is none other than Jarrod Axlerod the high profile lead singer for the band Heartstrings, and the sexy vampire he has just broken every one of his personal rules with.

Buy it here.

To Hate And To Hold:

Can Jamie and Ethan overcome their hatred for each other before the vampire marriage they are cursed into kills them both?

Jamie McHale has always hated vampire prince Ethan Connor, and Ethan loathes him right back. One dark and stormy night the two men tangle in a violent altercation that leaves them somehow bound together in vampire marriage.

It becomes very clear that the magic of the marriage bond will get what it wants for them, regardless of the men's feelings toward the situation. The curse wants them together, and as they spend time with each other they start to wonder if this really was a curse at all.

Buy it here.

I hope one day I can purchase the print version of these; then I can display Dakota's work when I'm at a signing:)

My First Story

2010-07-26T04:23:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, there was a budding author named Kenzie. Her fifth grade student teacher put on a record (yes, showing my age here; shut up and keep reading!) and told the class to write a story about whatever pops into their heads. Kenzie, having just seen the movie Logan's Run the week before, heard the mysterious strains of the classical piece and decided to write a sci-fi story about what the future would look like. Eerily enough, some of the descriptions resembled the futuristic world of Logan, as seen through her ten-year-old eyes, and as she discovered twenty years later, completely misunderstood the entire plot of that movie! She probably did the same with Billy Jack, but I digress...Anyway, in that story, she hadn't learned much of how to format a story, except for indenting the first paragraph. Quotes came later, but were still not given a paragraph of their own. "How does this relate to the blog topic," you ask? This is an example of what my first story looked like, without the horrendous handwriting. So yes, I am now smarter than that fifth grader because I knew NOTHING about the intricacies of putting together a manuscript or even relationships. Romance was Barbie and Ken and happy princesses finding their Prince Charming and living happily ever after. Oh, and that is how I finished all of my stories back then....And they lived happily ever after.

You Call This A Vacation???

2010-07-19T06:18:00.000-07:00

My ideal dream vacation has varied over the years. First it was anyplace with an amusement park and water slides. Then it was anywhere with a pool, beach, and good nightclubs.

I have two dream vacations. One involves travel; the other does not.

I'd love to travel to Hawaii, Greece, Italy, France, England, Scotland, Ireland, The Netherlands, and Sweden.

And then there's my current 'dream vacation':
Kicking everyone out of the house.

Yes, you read that correctly. For the past several years, traveling with my kids leaves my exhausted. And since my oldest pair is now driving (one leaves for college next month and the other will officially get her license in January), my ideal Spring Break is when the hubby's off to work and my three kids disappear to Grandma's.

Peace and quiet.

I can sleep late; blare MY music; watch any TV shows without having to hear complaints; eat when and whatever I want; stay on the computer as long as I want.

And sometimes I feel as if Spring Break doesn't last long enough. Why couldn't my kids go to Grandma's the entire month of June? Or all summer?

"Kenzie....you'd miss your kids after two weeks. Trust me."

Sigh. You're probably right. But sometimes I want to lock myself in a motel room for several weeks when the words are flowing! Why does the family not get this and leave me alone until I'm finished?

Answer...and Doing the Happy Dance!

2010-07-14T06:48:00.000-07:00

Okay; Mia was close. Here's the answer...and the actual conversation highlighted in bold.

“Crap. I’ve got to go in a few minutes.”

He tightened his grip slightly. “I could just keep you here the rest of the night.”

She shook her head. “How about I start strongly hinting for them to sleep over at friends’ houses next weekend?”

“Works for me.” He kissed her ear, then patted her butt. “Okay, Miss Horny and Pressed for Time…you know, that would make a great line in a movie.”

Tammy yawned and sat up. “Maybe in a porno,” she scoffed. “Where did you toss my clothes?”

“The same place you tossed mine.”

(Comment was made before my marriage; just wanted to clarify in case anyone was worried!)

Happy Dance:)

Received this in Monday's inbox:

Good morning Kenzie,

I have no idea why this manuscript was rejected but the publisher and I
agree. We would love to publish this piece for you.

I will be sending you a formal acceptance and contract later this morning
or this afternoon.

Whoo hoo! My new publisher will be XOXO Publishing and I'm excited to be finally getting my first 'baby' sent out into the big bad world.

And it must be my week for good news, because yesterday I received another email from my temperamental friend, apologizing for flying off the handle at me two weeks ago, and could I meet her for coffee? Unfortunately, I was too busy yesterday, and asked about either today or Thursday.

"I'm leaving for Hartford, Connecticut tomorrow and will be gone until Sunday. I'll email you next week."

Once again, patience has paid off!!

Soul Mates

2010-07-12T04:25:00.000-07:00

I'm a believer in soul mates. Ever look a someone and 'just know' you're going to be best friends? Call me crazy, but just look at my current BFF and I. Twenty-six years later, it doesn't matter if we've not seen each other since yesterday or three years; we pick up the phone or I go to her house and we pick up right where we left off. No awkward moments.

Same with another good friend of mine. I hadn't seen or spoken to him in five years, and yet the way we acted, you'd have thought we'd seen each other last week.

Did I marry my soul mate? Unfortunately, no. But he exists in the form of a Good Friend, and he doesn't mind me writing him into nearly every story.

In Marc's case from All She Ever Wanted, there's this interaction:

Marc lathered his hands and smeared them on her chocolate-streaked breasts.
“Believe it, baby,” he murmured. “Earlier you said I’m all you ever wanted? Well
sweetheart, all I ever wanted was you beside me, day and night.”

“Daytime’s going to be a little rough,” she reminded him. “You in the
boardroom and me in my kitchen.”

“That’s okay. I’ll wake up beside you….” His fingers coaxed her nipples into
firm points. “And go to sleep with you at night.” He lovingly soaped her belly and
rinsed her off. “And it’s always been my secret fantasy to fuck you on the
conference table.”

“The conference—wouldn’t that be awfully hard?” She took the soap he
offered, lathering her own hands.

“We’ll smuggle in some blankets or something.” Marc lost all rational thought
as her hands trailed down his front, encircling his cock.

Amber rinsed her hands and turned him in the direction of the water. She
moved in front of him again and sank to her knees, taking his fresh member into
her mouth.

Marc closed his eyes and braced himself against the shower stall. Wow—if this
was what married life with Amber had to offer, he was sorry he’d not put up more
of a fight three years earlier.

We talked fantasies one day, and he revealed a desire to have some fun in his office. I wrote this scene and sent it to him; he emailed me back and said I'd given him an idea for when his girlfriend was in town! Later, he informed me Monday morning meetings would never again be the same...

And in Teacher's Pet, this scene was spawned from something he suggested after not seeing his g/f for several weeks while he was traveling. Can you guess the phrase?

She tugged at his sweatshirt, wanting to run her hands up his hairy chest and to feel his rippling muscles. He worked it over his head, looking briefly surprised before she threw off her own sweatshirt and pressed his naked torso to hers. He groaned and lifted her up, carrying her to the bedroom and leaving a trail of clothing behind.

“What brought this on?” he asked briefly between kisses as she hurriedly shed her underwear and peeled his athletic pants to his ankles.

“I’m horny and pressed for time. And it’s all your fault,” she scolded, sinking to her knees to take his massive length in her mouth.

These are just two examples. But one of my favorite themes has always been the reunion story; the one in which soul mates find each other after being apart because of Fate, Timing, or Interference from Outside Sources.

What's your take? Do they exist or not?

Adding Flavor To Stories

2010-07-05T12:45:00.001-07:00

When I think of quirky characters, the cast from M*A*S*H comes to mind. Radar always knew what the Colonel was going to say. Hawkeye and his mystery martinis and schemes. Frank's electric socks and his pursuit of Hot Lips. Klinger and his itch for a Section 8 discharge. Charles Winchester the Third.

Any story has its main characters, but often it is the secondary ones which enrich the story or backdrop. Lumier and Cogsworth from Beauty and The Beast (or even Chip). Scuttle from Little Mermaid. Fargo in Eureka.

One of my favorite shows was Gilmore Girls. Sean Gunn (above) played the town oddball, Kirk. At first I found him extremely annoying, but then would tune in just to see what hairball scheme he'd concocted.

And the show Are You Being Served? OMG! We'd tune in just to see what color hair Mrs. Slocum had!

I don't know if I've given my characters any particular quirks; I may have to add some. But the bottom line is this: Make your characters memorable, not just cookie cutter Barbie and Ken. Readers will appreciate it.

I Have A LIFE?? Who Knew?

2010-06-28T06:59:00.000-07:00

Yes, as hard as it may seem to fathom, Kenzie has a life outside her computer.

Don't faint on me; sometimes I forget it too. But when kids have to email you to tell you important things, or suddenly the power dies and you discover your husband's shut off the power strip in order to get your attention....then you know you've been neglecting your family.

I do honestly try to give equal time to everyone. I get up early; answer my email, read any digests and blogs, and post my own. I update my Face Book status. Sometimes I'll even tweet. Then I shut off the internet for two hours while I dress, shower, do light housework, errands, etc. Around noon I'm back on, to check for comments or any other email, and hop over to a loop or two. If I'm in writing mode, then my characters consume me for about another two hours. And then my teens are usually begging to use the computer, so I'm off again until about dinner time, when I do a quick check before fixing the meal.

If no one is using it after nine PM, I'll hop on again, to either write some more or make the rounds on blogger.

I suspect when my kids are all off on their own, I'll be on here a lot more. But hopefully by then, I'll be able to afford maid service? I hate to hear "Kenzie, get off that damn computer and help me clean up this mess!"

Caught!

2010-06-24T11:07:00.000-07:00

So I asked my friend about her marital status. And she acted as if I'd violated the 14th commandment..."thou shalt not unearth secrets about thy friends w/o their knowledge".

She's the one who's been caught in a tiny white lie of omission, but I'm the bad guy because I found it?

Sigh....sometimes I wonder why I even bother being her friend...oh wait...I was there for her when she went through her first divorce. Wonder if she'll suddenly need me in her second?

I'm cutting off contact. She knows my email and phone number. If and when she comes to her senses, I'll be here. But I'm not gonna initiate it this time.

Issues? What Issues?

2010-06-21T05:54:00.000-07:00

As a reader and a writer, I love social issues. One of my earliest favorite books was Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, which dealt with a sixth grader's search for religion, as well as acceptance from her group of friends. In fact, I loved all of Judy Blume's books as she told stories about young teens dealing with divorce, masturbation/early sexuality, scoliosis, and young love.

I also enjoyed the stories of 'I was A Teenage Alcoholic/Drug Addict/Runaway'. I think I checked the teen alcohol addiction one out of the library so many times, my name was the only one on the entire card.

I learned to stay away from these pitfalls of the teenage years. And they weren't told in a preachy manner. No; quite the opposite. Sometimes it was rather humorous.

And that's what my alter-ego has tried to do in her books; weave the social issues into the story lines in order to show how even good kids can make disastrous choices. Throughout her series, young women learn the choices they make can affect their overall outcome in life. Sometimes it's a good change; other times not so good. As one reader put it, as she identified with a particular character, "It's nice to see what my life would have been, had I stayed on track."

As for me, I don't consciously add in a social issue; it just happens to sneak in. For instance, I had no idea sexual harassment would rear its ugly head in Teacher's Pet. I had to stop writing for two days and research. In All She Ever Wanted, my expanded chapters suddenly dealt with health department citations. Again, I had to stop and research.

In Wild At Heart, gambling addiction showed up. Off The Clock shows a young woman who's the sole caregiver of her Alzheimer's-stricken mother, and the horrific issue of elder abuse (not the woman, but her brother).

So my advice to anyone wanting to write about issues, be it political, gay rights, whatever...weave it into the story in such a manner it does not come across preachy. The reader should not even realize they are being educated until after they're finished reading.

Happy Reading:)

Okay; So I Misunderstood The Topic....

2010-06-09T05:47:00.000-07:00

Vernacular Pet Peeves, not whether or not we like to write native dialects or use slang terms!

(Kenzie sighs heavily and looks thankful no one commented on previous post.)

I commented on Mia and Dakota's posts, but here they are again:
-'Took and...' This one drove me crazy from 1998-2006....okay, every time I speak to a former neighbor this drives me batty! Maybe the word is 'tooken' or 'took in'? She'd say, 'We took and went down to the park....' or 'we took and went to the doctor's today...' Why not just say 'we went?' You didn't 'take' anything out of the ordinary! So why say it?

-'Honest and truly...' My aunt says this. 'Honest and truly Kenzie, I don't know if we'll make it down for the party...' 'Honest and truly, I hope (insert cousin's name) will get this divorce settled soon...' Okay, I get what you're saying, but why do you think I think you're about to lie to me?

-'Warsh' or 'Waish' (wairsh?) This one absolutely drives me insane. And my own SU and his entire family says it! 'Time to warsh the dishes...' 'I warshed clothes yesterday...' For god's sake people! The last time I checked, there was no 'R' in WASH! W-A-S-H! And growing up, my best friend's mom used to say it, with an 'i' inserted. 'Don't forget to waish your face and hands...' 'If you want me to cut your hair, let's wairsh it first...'

-'Fixin' to...' As in, 'I'm fixin' to go to the store today...' You're going to fix what before you go to the store? Grandma, you're 88 years old. I don't think the shuttle bus needs your help. And if your dress needs fixed before you leave the apartment....well, that's another matter.

What sayings make you want to cringe and auto-correct every word you hear?

Bring Back Uncle Remus!

2010-06-07T05:07:00.000-07:00

"Zippidee Doo-Dah, Zippidey-ay...My oh my, what a wonderful day..."

"You can rip out mah ears, chop off mah tail, but pleeze oh pleeeze don't frow me in dat briar patch!"

Am I the only one in the world who misses Song of the South and the stories of Brer Bear, Brer Fox, and Brer Rabbit?

Several years ago, my oldest son brought home the stories, and I delighted in reliving a childhood love of hearing these stories and doing the dialect. I can 'hear' the Walt Disney characters in my head, and wish my children could too. I heard the movie was going to be rereleased, and eagerly asked Amazon to notify me when it became available. I sincerely hope it will be; I think I saw this movie two or three times as a child, and had the read-aloud storybooks and records.

Does this make me a racist? No. This was made at a time in history when African-Americans were perceived a certain way. Do we jump all over Father Knows Best, because the moms were seen as subservient to the fathers? No. And Peter Pan is still on shelves, even though the Indians (Native Americans) are portrayed saying 'Ugh". (Yeah, I take issue with the 'PC Police' sometimes!)

What does this have to do with writing veracular language? I like it. I have no problem reading Gone With The Wind and reading Mammy and Prissy's words. I'll admit, the first couple of times, it helped to read it out loud, so I could understand it.

And in contemporary works, I don't mind the use of slang; it adds flavor to the writing. If we all used 'The King's English', it would make for pretty boring reading. I find Bronte, Austin, and original Shakespeare hard to follow. But if I'm taking my Northern characters to the deep South, I'd expect more 'honey-chile', 'cute as a bug's ear', and references to pimento-cheese sandwiches or Mint Julips.

And yes, if I read that a character is from Australia, I expect to read 'G'day mate' instead of 'How do you do?' (Does anyone even say that anymore?)

"Mr. Bluebird on my shoulder...it's a fact, it's actual, everything is satisfactual, zippidy do-dah, zippedy-ay, wonderful feeling, wonderful day!"

How Do I Love Thee; Let Me Count The Ways...

2010-05-31T04:32:00.000-07:00

My beloved,
By now it should be painfully obvious how much I adore you. I give you every desirable attribute a woman looking for love would want; you patiently overcome any objections I toss your way, and you're very easy on the eyes.

Your flaws are minor; every man has them. Yet you don't mind the occasional yelling match; the week of silence; the little things to attract your attention. And may I remind you make up sex is always fantastic?

Sometimes you misbehave and take a U-turn in the relationship. That's okay. As long as everything works out in the end, we'll work well together.

Over At Brynn's...

2010-05-26T07:31:00.000-07:00

I'm her Wednesday Wonder Writer. Come over and visit me? Please?

Plus, heard from my publisher last night: She requested the full manuscript of Class Reunion, the unexpected sequel to All She Ever Wanted:)

Advice to New Writers....

2010-05-24T08:20:00.001-07:00

If writing is your passion, and you feel you must write or burst, then write, write, write.

And then get online; learn as much as you can about publishers, genres, critique groups, and start talking to other authors. Read their work and learn from osmosis.

Join author/publishing chat loops; you'll need the support of authors who have struggled, yet made it to Published Author status.

But most importantly, toss your work out there. Submit, submit, submit. Ask others to read and critique it. A manuscript on the the hard drive or under the bed will never fly if you don't give it the chance.

Update on Lucky:
Mourning has been postponed until tomorrow. Don't know what I'm talking about? See Molly's blog.

Mixed Bag of News...

2010-05-20T06:09:00.000-07:00

First, the good news. I pitched a story yesterday over at The Publishing Trove loop and within an hour, had a publisher asking for the full manuscript:) Made me positively giddy the rest of the day! You know how it is; something rocks your world and no matter what LIFE throws at you, you refuse to be brought down? I decided to make my favorite meal, knowing it would be a lot of work, and my oldest would pout, since he had to work and would only get leftovers.

Here's the way the rest of the afternoon went:
4pm-K overturns the freshly changed rat cage, trying to put it back together. Cedar chips all over the floor and the dog bed.

4:15pm: Discover dog bedding is soaked (dog is having bladder issues). Have discussion about doing the humane thing and putting my baby out of her misery. I prepared myself for this moment three weeks ago, but the SU wimped out and requested more medication.

5pm: I discover a neighbor has a newly-purchases Kindle:) I took my Sony Pocket e-reader and we played 'I'll show you mine if you show me yours', hee hee....Discovered I'm not on Kindle's library. I may be making a deal with him as far as book purchases go....

6pm: Started dinner.

7pm: Ate dinner. Yuuuuummmmyyyy!

7:30: For whatever reason, I decided to check my Facebook status...and look up an old friend to see if she's on it yet. She isn't, but her kid is...and surprise, surprise...the father is no longer listed as a parent, but the 'rebound-man' which caused me to lose my temper with her last summer is listed as 'step-dad'! Turns out my friend either is lying to me to (ahem) spare my feelings, or the kid wants a dad so badly he's fantasizing. This caused my eyebrow to raise, but you know what? It's my friend's life. If she chooses to confide in me the next time I see her, great. I'm not going to confront her; I'll simply ask her 'So when were you going to tell me you and J got married?' And hopefully we can have a normal, civilized conversation about why she felt the need to lie to me.

8pm: Discovered that it is K's week to do the dishes. Since our agreement is he doesn't have to do them on the nights he works, I clean up the table so the SU can do them.

9pm: Discover he has no intention of doing the dishes tonight. Fine; I'll do them in the morning.

10pm: Take the daughter to the ER, because the sores on her hips are back. Good news there was no, she's not diabetic:)

11pm: Leave ER and she discovers I have $22 I didn't know I had in my wallet! We head off to Walmart and the pharmacy to get bandaids and her prescription filled.

Midnight: Too keyed up to sleep, so I read a bit. Finally turned off the light around 1am.

3am: Am awakened by K; the youngling has had an accident for the first time in two months. I get the poor child dry undies and tuck him into my bed. K takes the couch.

6:30am: Cocker Spaniel wakes me out of a bizarre dream involving my friend's son and his new relationship with Rebound Guy. Time to pry my eyes open and start my day.

I may need a nap later on today....

But yes, I'm still in a fairly good mood:) Just got another busy day ahead of me, washing bedding and slowly working on getting the 2nd room in my house thoroughly clean...curtains, shelves, floor, baseboards, and trim. On the other hand, maybe I'll just go back to bed.....

You Can't JJudge A Book By Its Cover...Or Can You? Pt 2

2010-05-18T09:12:00.001-07:00

This is one of my all-time favorite books:)

Molly did a much better job on her second cover; she picked out the photo, designed the AU logo, and while it's received some criticism, I like it and more importantly, she likes it!

You Can't JJudge A Book By Its Cover...Or Can You?

2010-05-17T07:31:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make. The only time I look at covers of books I'm going to buy is a) when I'm browsing in a bookstore and b) when my friends post their covers.

That being said, I've posted a few of my favorite books and the reasons why I love the cover/book.

Here is a perfect example of a LOUSY cover. It was Molly's first attempt; she filled out the form of what she wanted; this is what iUniverse cover gods sent. Being the first time, she looked at it and thought, "Okay; not exactly what I wanted, but what the hell..."

Not only is the Title lousy (it should and WILL be renamed Love On The Rocks at a later time!), but during the first promo 'tour', everyone thought it was an autobiographical account of her life as an alcoholic. Nothing could be farther from the truth!

This was my first cover. While I'm not cracked up about all the green, and I would have liked the kitchen scene depicted better, I'm happy with it. It portrays Marc and Amber in a happy, reunited moment, and could be the moment when he formally asks her to marry him, not described in the book.

This is my good friend Anny Cook's first cover. At first, I assumed this is what she looked like (GRIN!), and I've read this story many, many times. In fact, I own three copies of it. One electronic; one signed print copy; another personalized print copy.

This is the first Cindy Spencer Pape book I ever read, and again, the cover is one my favorites. I'm looking forward to having a print copy, as I've read this one at least three times.

And finally, my best cover yet! I've had people tell me they'd buy this book strictly for the cover art. Valerie, kudos to you! Our minds were definitely in synch with this one!

This portrays Kevin and Tammy's second seduction scene in his classroom. She's fighting her feelings; he has been looking all over for his mystery lady. And when he finally finds her again, the sparks fly.

I had also uploaded Jae Roth's Access Denied cover and Molly's Love Finds A Way. But during the formatting process, both pictures disappeared. I'll repost them tomorrow.

But honestly? When I set out to buy a book, it goes on my TBB list because of the blurb and excerpt. Take Anny's Chrysanthemum, for instance. I wasn't thrilled with the cover. But two or three excerpts later, I went ahead and added it to my list. And LOVED it! In fact, last week I won a print copy of Carnal Camelot:) I'd have preferred the next installment of Mystic Valley, but I'll get it this summer. I love the print copies, as I display them on tour with me. I'm going to have to pick and choose whom I take with me, as I've become a portable bookstore display case! Maybe once we get the laptop up and running, I'll take it with me so people can order from amazon right then and there?

Me? Organized? You've GOT To Be Kidding...

2010-05-10T06:57:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, Kenzie had a houseful of people. She used to refer to herself as a Single Mom with Seven Children.

These children were:
-51 yr old 'child'
-26-yr old stepdaughter
-13-yr old son
-11-yr old daughter
-4-yr old 'granddaughter'
-3-yr old 'grandson'
-2-yr old son

In order to keep a tight rein on everyone's various schedules, she had each day running like a tight ship. There was little or no deviation from the schedule, otherwise people wouldn't be picked up at the appropriate times; meals would run long; everyone would be cranky. Therefore, priorities had to be made.

But five years later, three of the 'children' are no longer in the household (with the exception of holidays, lol!), and the schedule is a bit looser. Except the oldest 'child' is recovering from eye surgery and continues to adopt a crabby, 'poor me' attitude, driving everyone else insane with his refusal to own his issues. Everything is blamed on the eye surgery, or circumstances, or the town we're living in.

Kenzie is happiest when the three original kids are off to school and the oldest 'child' is napping. She can write, blog, watch TV, run errands...all without hassle. But when the 'child', who is now 56, wakes up and demands attention, sometimes her plans for the day go out the window or get reshuffled to the next day (See Molly's Daily Cleaning Goals, lol!).

So right now, she is the LAST person to ask for organizational advice! Unless you want the example of 2005...then check the May 19th, 2008 post.

Some Good News and Better News:)

2010-05-08T06:33:00.000-07:00

Stated to friends last month:
"I'm taking the month of May off in order to get the house ready for K's graduation. Watch my edits land in my mailbox May 1st..."

Guess what I received Monday the 3rd? No, not quite...just an introductory letter from my new editor Angel:) I emailed her the cover of Teacher's Pet and am now waiting for the soon-to-be-arriving edits. And this will make my weekly writer meetings more productive for me!

Also on Saturday the 1st, I received my quarterly report on All She Ever Wanted. Apparently I did something right; I sold four more copies! So woo hoo! Now if I can just remember what I did the first three months of the year, in order to keep up the sales......

In the meantime, I've got Mr. Clean Erasers, Spic-n-Span in a bucket, and washing machine full of curtains! Anyone want to come wipe down the woodwork? Retro Rock channel is blaring..."I'm going off the raaaails on a crazy traaaain...."

"Runaway train never comin' back....one way on a one-way track..."

"The angel opens her eyes..."

"Ohhh oh, we're halfway there...ohhh oh, livin' on a prayer..."

First Clue...

2010-05-03T12:12:00.000-07:00

Here's a pop quiz:

What do you call a person who constantly hears a story in her head; the sight of blank journals excites her; loves stationary stores; collects pens; reads nearly everything she can get her hands on; comes away from movies or beloved stories and promptly either carries on the story with her Barbie dolls or inserts herself into the storyline and acts it out?

Nope, not schizophrenic.

Nope, not insanity.

Chances are, this person is a future writer!

How many guessed the third? Good for you...but then again, you know me. Try explaining to a non-writer how one can carry on a conversation in one's head and put it on paper. Or why the thought of an empty house is cause for excitement, not depression.

Remember the sitcom Facts of Life? One of my favorite episodes is when Natalie is stranded at a cafe, and instead of whining about being bored, she whips out pen and paper and concocts a mystery involving the other customers and cast mates.

I received my first diary at age ten, and found it hard to confine the days' events to just one tiny page. Two years later, my 7th grade teacher passed out notebooks half the size of regular ones, and told us to write a journal entry every day. Soon I was filling the pages with thoughts, observations, and general teenage drama. I soon made a habit of carrying it everywhere, and the first drafts of some of my early fairy tales were in them. They were ripped out soon after and turned into the teacher.

The first book I ever wrote stemmed from a quiet day in Florida. I was sitting on a picnic table by the bay, when all of a sudden, I wondered what would happen if.....and soon I was writing away. I wrote nearly every spare hour during that vacation, and when I returned to school in the fall, I continued it, to see where it was going.

If I don't write, the words will nearly stuff my brain until I get a chance to sit down. In 2002, I was a bus monitor for seven weeks straight, with little time to write. A story was brewing, and the night after my last shift, I literally locked myself in the bedroom and proceeded to write for three days straight, barely taking the time to eat, sleep, and deal with the kids. At the end of those three days, I had sixty pages in longhand. I took a break; started typing it up....and the imagination took off again. I had the story written in about a month. And as I typed 'The End', I cried; my SU thought I'd lost my mind. To console me, he took me out to dinner.

So if you spot me in a bar somewhere scribbling away furiously into a notebook, don't worry. I don't work for the CIA and I'm not crazy. Just buy me a drink and leave me alone, unless you want to say hi and see what I'm working on. Chances are you'll get a sneak peek at my next wip.

I Have A Dream...

2010-04-26T07:12:00.000-07:00

That one day, the Romantic Times Convention will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana...and that I will be able to go.

What workshops would I attend? Hmmm...given my past weekend horrors of discovering my chat posts virtually unreadable because of rogue html codes imbeded in my text, I'd love a workshop on How To Prevent This From Ever Happening Again. Also Protocol When Re-Joining Chat Loops When You've Been Absent For Several Months and How To Regain Your Friendships.

Can you tell I've been struggling with a few issues?

Time Management With a Grumpy Spouse.

How To Write Fresh Sex Scenes or How To Keep Sex Scenes Fresh.

How To Overcome Shyness While Visiting Sex Toy Shop.

Writing The Best Blurb To Catch Reader's Attention.

Best Time To Submit Work or Who To Submit New Work To. (Sometimes I hear authors say they send their new wips to their editors; I keep sending it as pertained to the guidelines, and waiting forever! Okay, I'll retract that....it only seems like forever!)

Online Marketing 101.

Website 101 and Web Hosting.

POV Issues and Why Did The Rules Change?

Hand-Selling vs Online Selling: Equal, Or Is One Better? And How To Not Get Run Out Of Town For Content Of Book (a slight personal fear, lol...)

Okay; I seem to be getting carried away. I don't even know if there's a workshop for some of those!

I DID enjoy the WriteStuff Writer's conferences, and wish they'd do them again. But it was a fantastic learning experience, and gave me opportunities to talk to established authors and editors, and boosted my confidence level.

I also dearly wish I could attend the MidWest Writer's Conference, and am kicking myself for not realizing it existed while I was in college (I was on the same campus!). I also wish I could attend Lori Foster's Weekend in June, as well as RomantiCon next October. I've got a room reserved; now I just need the money to register.

I just hope my friends who DO attend will post many pictures! And I'd like to make my Model Behavior wip as accurate as possible...see there honey? I need to attend for research purposes!

Think he'll go for it?

Nah....I'll get the "But we don't have the money..." speech again. Sigh...Next year...next year....

"I'm Productive...Sort Of..."

2010-04-19T13:34:00.000-07:00

BICHOK:
Butt
In
Chair
Hands (or fingers!)
On
Keyboard

I used this method during NaNo 2007 and it worked. Why hasn't it worked in '08 and '09? Simple.

I wasn't the only one in the house anymore.

For me to truly be productive, I need an empty (and clean) house; the music on; no other commitments. It also helps if the creativity is flowing, although a page or two of meaningless crap is okay. I can always edit it out later.

Sometimes being productive simply means getting my last load of laundry in the washer before noon. Or the 'business' side of my job (blogging, email,) accomplished in an hour instead of two. It all depends on my mood, my goals, and whatever the spouse has planned for the day.

I'd just like him to go back to work so I can FEEL productive, instead of taking a stab at it.

Y'know what I mean?

"You're The Meaning In My Life...You're The Inspiration..."

2010-04-12T06:17:00.000-07:00

Music has always inspired me, as has other methods.

My dad liked classical music, and while riding in the car with him, or listening at home, my brain would conjure images of a storyline. I was bored one afternoon and put on his favorite mix tape. Soon I was acting out a trial; being a conductor (2001 Space Odyssey); acting out the lyrics to One Tin Soldier and Those Were The Days. In fact, several weeks later, I wrote my first story based on the song One Tin Soldier and my creative writing teacher enjoyed it, although she told me if I was going to write fiction, to be careful about using actual people (I'd had the stone guarded by several prominent sports figures, plus our own Jr. High football teams!).

As I began my writing career, I'd put the kids down for naps, turn on Hooked On Classics, and write for two hours. I'd go to the laundromat, play the juke box, and write while my clothes spun around in the washers and dryers.

I've written to Prince, Madonna, Aqua, Bon Jovi, and Frank Sinatra. This drives my husband crazy, because he'd rather watch TV. So I've learned to write during hunting shows, Discovery Channel, and even SyFy and History channels. And when my toddler was growing up, I wrote to the sounds of Nick Jr...Wonder Pets, Dora, Diego, and Backyardigans.

While watching the Olympics this past winter, the eventual Ice Dancing winners wowed me with their original dance routine, and I envisioned a love story. I've kept it on my DVR, much to the family's disgust. But until I'm ready to write that story (characters are still only whispering snippets in my ear), it will remain. Yeah, I know; I could probably find it on YouTube....

I've also listened to news briefs on the radio and had characters jump into my head (Wild At Heart is a perfect example). I've been out in the community and certain situations will send the brain spinning (like the time I discovered I was being flirted with at a store) or I'll overhear a conversation and the creative wheels will take off.

My latest endeavor was simply brain storming with others, and a suggestion from a reader. Sometimes many elements will come together to inspire the muse to insist I sit down and write.

What kick-starts your muse? Mine's been on an extended vacation, but showing signs of returning to work soon.

What Happens Next???

2010-04-09T12:11:00.000-07:00

This seems to be my continued question with several books I read. Books which are all about the sex and discovering one's 'soul mate' within 24 hours have me wondering what happens the next day when LIFE interferes.

Longer books, where the characters declare their love for each other (finally!) has me wondering about what happens after children arrive.

So OF COURSE I love sequels! And sometimes, the more the better:)

Case in point: I spent years reading Dana Fuller Ross's Wagons West series...and there's about 24 or so. I cried when two beloved original characters were killed off, and if I ever get the last book ordered, I suspect I'm gonna cry when I read it because a) It's the last book and b) I've discovered two more characters have been killed off (maybe this is why I keep forgetting to order it???)

I love long-running sit-coms. And secondary plotlines ala Charmed and Gilmore Girls. Soap operas don't count, because sooner or later, everyone's going to end up in bed with each other.

So it appears I'm in the minority here...but anyone else care to chime in?

Classic Literature Vs Pop Fiction

2010-04-03T10:36:00.000-07:00

Okay; I've had several days to think on this topic, as well as reading others' opinions.

How many of us struggled to stay awake in Lit class, reading such dry excerpts of Thomas Hardy, Edgar Allen Poe (NOT his poem The Raven), and books like Silas Marner, To Kill A Mockingbird, and The Crucible? When I was in college, the Greek plays were interesting enough, as was Chaucer, but who could stay awake during The Odyssey and the works of Socrates?

My roommates soon learned to leave the room if I pulled out the last three, because they knew they'd be subjected to hearing whatever book out loud; it was the only way I could retain any semblance of the storyline.

I did enjoy Silas Marner and TKAM, and even A Separate Peace and The Crucible; however, I could not simply stop with one chapter a week. No, if the story caught my attention, I kept reading. And then was bored by the papers, discussion, etc. I didn't want to dissect the book, looking for symbolism, themes, etc. I simply wanted to enjoy the story.

Contrast this with books I DO enjoy: Sometimes a particular theme will jump out at me, or I'll recognize the history behind it. I do like to discuss the characters and plot devices, but again, they are strictly for enjoyment.

Remember the Star Trek TNG episode where the planet had found a copy of Casino Royale and accepted it as 'God's Truth'? In order to make their First Contact any sort of sense, Commander Riker and crew had to go along with the plot.

God forbid anyone 2000 years from now finding Teacher's Pet and thinking this is how all society is supposed to act!