Rebekah you have won the VARGAS GIRL “Leap” Contest! Congratulations!!!!
And for the rest of you, thanks so much for entering. I hope you enjoyed leaping about in celebration of Leap Day. Hooray February 29th!
VARGAS GIRL is available today from Cobblestone Press!
Join me tonight from 8-10 pm EST in the Cobblestone Press chat room for a chance to win a free copy of VARGAS GIRL!
Kris
Okay, here’s some big scoop….I found out last night that MOONLIGHTING will be coming out on Friday, March 14th at The Wilder Roses. Yes, only TWO WEEKS after VARGAS GIRL, and I will have something new.
I really wasn’t expecting such a quick release date. I had thought maybe April…but there you have it.
Next week, I will post some of the story on my Excerpts page, so be sure to stop back for a nice little read. You can read a blurb and see cover art here. Just scan to the bottom of the page.
Kris
Today my “LEAP” contest begins as a countdown to the release of my next book with Cobblestone Press - VARGAS GIRL.
PRIZES: 3 nifty magnets, one of each of my Cobblestone Press covers, and a $10 gift certificate for Cobblestone Press!
RULES: Email me the answers to the five questions below by “LEAP”ing around the Internet and my website a bit. Be sure to include your full name and mailing address and include “LEAP” CONTEST in the subject line. You have until noon on Friday to enter. I will randomly choose 1 winner on Friday, February 29th - the release date of VARGAS GIRL. Have fun!
1) What kind of romance do I like to read? (check my website)
2) Three of my books are published with Cobblestone Press, which e-publisher will release my 4th book? (check my website)
3) In the VARGAS GIRL excerpt here on my website, what does Sasha plan to do with the painting?
4) In my Romance Studio feature interview, what is the trilogy of books I want to write?
5) On the Cobblestone Press forums, what is the name of my “house” in The Neighborhood (hint: I’m on Contemporary Way)?
**UPDATE: I forgot to include my email address. Here it is - kriseton(at)gmail.com**
Good luck and thanks for entering!!!!!
Kris
I got 13 hours of sleep last night. That’s right, you read correctly - THIRTEEN! That is unheard of, unless I am horridly ill. A flu or some such badness.
Yesterday just after dinner, I went upstairs to do some email reading, and I was just struck with the absolute worst case of “must sleep now” that I have experienced in awhile. I left my contacts in and climbed into bed fully dressed. I was out like a light in probably 2 seconds.
And the sleep was that good, hard, super-dream-filled sleep that is just impossible to rouse from. I did manage to get up about 3 hours later and take out my contacts before they fused permanently with my eyeballs, however.
This morning I got up feeling more refreshed and relaxed than I have in a great long while. Wow!
I’m roaring to get some writing done today, but it is foggy and drizzly outside. Just the kind of day for snuggling by the fire watching really silly tv shows. Like that new reality show on BBCA about restaurants. I’m obsessed with both the English and American version of Gordon Ramsay’s show…where he goes into a restaurant tastes their terrible food and observes their disgusting kitchen. Yes, I love it, love it, love it.
Anyway, my day to write up a storm turned into nothing but relaxing. I’m sure I’ll fit some writing in soon…because I need to…but I’m enjoying my lazy Sunday too much right now.
My new book is coming along rather smoothly right now. I had worked up a pretty detailed outline of my characters, the setting, and some of what would happen during the book, so by the time I started writing, I felt like I knew my characters and their motivations. A lot of what I write just comes out of my brain as I type, so I can’t plan everything.
This book is called THE OPAL HUNTER and takes place in a desolate spot of the Nevada desert. Aaron Brady is the owner of a failed turquoise mine and is almost bankrupt. Nina Delgado is the IRS agent sent to his ranch to do an audit. And sparks fly!
It’s a lot of fun to dig into something new. This will be novella length, and I’m planning to have it done by the end of March, if not sooner. I have a plan for where I will be submitting this one, but I always have a back-up plan.
Keep an eye on the blog for any news!
If you join my newsletter by February 13th, you will be eligible to participate in a very special contest only for newsletter members.
On February 13th from 9-10 pm, I will be participating in a special chat session at Romance Junkies with fellow Cobblestone Press authors Gabriella Hewitt & Jayne Rylon. If you are a newsletter member and show up for the chat, you could win a copy of BOTH of my books - GOING DOWN and SNOWDRIFT!
Just a little heads up to let you know that I’ll be participating in the Romance Junkies chat next Wednesday from 9-10 pm (EST). Stop by for a visit and join in the fun. Here’s the link:
I’ll make sure to post a reminder the day of the chat. Two other Cobblestone writers, Jayne Rylon and Gabriella Hewitt will be there as well.
Gabriella shares a release date with me…February 29th.
It should be a lively discussion, so don’t miss out.
Happy Birthday to me. Today is my birthday…and I’m going to celebrate. Maybe not in the traditional ways…although I’m hoping there is cake later on today.
My idea of a good birthday these days is freedom. Freedom from the responsibilities of my every day life…like making dinner, having to do dishes, picking up the kids from the bus stop. I want a day when I can just be a blob and do whatever strikes my fancy without guilt.
What I find interesting is that the older I get, the less I pay attention to the number. It really doesn’t matter to me anymore. I am whatever age I feel, which I find rather cool. I sort of stopped ‘aging’ in my head around 30. I suppose, eventually, that age in my head will shift.
The great thing about getting older is that I care less what people think about me and more about what *I* think of me. Very freeing.
Over the weekend, I started in earnest working on a new book. I had the idea about a month ago as a result of seeing a call for submissions at Ellora’s Cave. I’ve been wanting to try for one of the ‘biggies’ in e-publishing, and I thought this might be my chance.
Ellora’s Cave has a series of books all with gemstones as the center of the story. I’d seen this before, but never been inspired with any great idea that would fit. Until now.
My idea centers around the opal. The basic plot had been bopping around in my head for a few weeks, and then over the weekend, I started to flesh out the idea. Gave my characters their names. Added in some secondary characters. Broadened the conflict. Thought about where the S-E-X will fit in (the most fun part of all!). And worked on my hero’s and heroine’s backgrounds and motivations.
I really am not one to overplan things, but as I write more, I am able to think things through a little bit better. I mapped out the first three chapters a bit, but I know some of the story will just write itself at a certain point. Which means I left the middle chapters as a big hole. I do have the last 2 chapters sketched out, but that’s pretty easy…the last chapter will *always* be HEA!
I’m sort of excited to get started on this one. My first to feature an hispanic leading lady! The action takes place in a desolate part of Nevada, and it just seemed to make sense that she would be hispanic for some reason. Plus, her immigrant past comes into play with the hero and his struggles.
Anyway, I’m really excited about this one. I plan on meeting the April 1st deadline at Ellora’s Cave, but will also try to submit it elsewhere. Possibly Liquid Silver or Samhain. I’d just really like to try for a larger publisher and see what happens.
I have now joined the ranks of many authors who use Yahoo Groups to create a newsletter. Whoo-hoo! Exciting times. If you’d like to join the group, just click on that little Yahoo Group thingie in the sidebar on my homepage.
It will be an announcements-only type of newsletter. When I have a new release, a contest, or something else big to share. Also, if you are a member, you will have the opportunity to enter special contests and drawings…oh, you so know you want to join!
With another book release coming up soon - VARGAS GIRL on February 29th - you want to make sure you don’t miss out on whatever little surprise I have in store for my members.