The Best Teachers by Karen Kelley #RomanceGems

I remember when I first discovered romance and how books could transport me to so many places. I loved Gothic romances with the dark castles or Victorian houses. They all had a ghost or some other kind of menace that the heroine would come across. Most of the time there was a dark, brooding hero.

Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. I moved to historical romance. From kingdoms to the old west. I went to balls and camped beneath the stars. Authors whisked me away to times long gone.

Then came paranormals with vampires and witches. I lost myself in the dark shadows of the night and magical spells.

 I could sink my teeth in romantic suspense with kick ass women and strong men as they fought crime together.

Then one day I decided I wanted to write a book. I joined RWA, met with a weekly critique group, and wrote every chance I got while working full-time. It took me six years before I sold my first book.

My local chapter disbanded and members moved away or stopped writing, or in my case sold our house and took off with my husband to travel the US over a three year period in an RV.

I wondered what I should do. I still needed to learn. I don't think anyone ever stops. I realized the best teachers are still out there. Every time I pick up a book to read, I'm learning something from that author. Even if I don't care for that particular story, I still learn something, but I love when an author can take me on the journey with her/him. With each book I feel a sense of renewal.

I have a new romantic suspense that released this month. Hidden Secrets is a standalone romance, the second book in my Badge of Honor series. It's available for purchase from Amazon or free to read in Kindle Unlimited. I hope I can take you on a journey with me.

Karen Kelley

www.authorkarenkelley.com 

Click to Order Now or read for free in KU

Our Easter treat to help you Read and Renew is one of 3 Amazon gift cards.  Enter here:  Rafflecopter Entry Form

Speaking of Ghosts...by Karen Kelley #RomanceGems

We bought an artificial Christmas tree yesterday. Maybe I'm wishful thinking that cooler weather is on the horizon. It was 92 for a high. Good news, I think fall is around the corner, or maybe winter. I'm not sure. Texas has crazy weather this time of year.

I love Christmas, though. We put the tree up so we could check the lights since it was pre-lit. I wanted to leave it up. Hubby said it was too soon. I finally caved and we put it back in the box. I'm thinking November 1st. Why not enjoy it a little longer. One month is too short.

I'm thinking about turning the ac down really low, then snuggling under a warm blanket and pretending it's cold outside. Do you think that would work?

I guess I'll at least wait until after Halloween. Speaking of ghosts, well sort of, Double Dating With The Dead is on sale for 99 cents, but only for today, then the price goes back up to $2.99.

Back Cover:

Skeptic and author Trent Sanders will make so-called psychic Selena James pay for challenging him to stay two weeks in the supposedly haunted, vacant hotel of Garvey County. By the end of their two weeks he’ll expose her for the fraud she is. But when he sees her in person, it might just be possible she can raise the dead.

Selena James is really pissed at Trent Sanders for publicly proclaiming her delusional. She doesn’t care how hot the guy is, he’ll be eating his words before the two weeks are up! She’ll prove ghosts exist. At least, she hopes she can. Ghosts can be very stubborn, obstinate, manipulative…. This may be a very long two weeks.

 

                                                        

                                                          Purchase now for .99 cents

                                                            or read for free in KU

 

 

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https://romancegems.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_28.html 

 

 

Best Wishes,
Karen Kelley
www.authorkarenkelley.com

 

 

 

New Beginnings by Karen Kelley #RomanceGems

I’m ready for fall. August in Texas can be brutal. Not to mention what a crazy month it has been. We were staying with our daughter and her family until our house was ready. We didn’t think that day would ever come. But it did and we’re all moved in. After 3 ½ years of traveling in a 350 square feet fifth wheel to see 39 states, we’ve settled down again in a home without wheels. I have to admit, we were a little sad, but this is a brand new adventure. We’ll still travel, but in a different way.

We also celebrated (a few weeks early) our 50^th wedding anniversary. Wow, has that much time already gone by. They say time flies when you’re having fun. I guess whoever said that was right. Our kids surprised us with a party and a cruise. Karl and I are super excited. We’ve only been on one, and it was very brief, but we had a blast. This time we’re headed for the Mayan ruins! This has been on our bucket list for a while.

Then we headed to Port Aransas with our son and grandson for 5 days. Our grandson is 9 and we had a great time teaching him how to fish. We walked on the beach and collected shells and a whole lot of new memories. Speaking of which, our son did a collage of pictures and had them put on one sheet in a beautiful frame.

But then they flew back to Michigan. The house is quiet once again. Now it’s me and Karl. I have an office again and plan on having a lot of new releases. If you haven’t had a chance to grab my newest, Bless Your Heart, is the start of a brand new series and just released this month. It has a sexy, small town flavor. I hope you enjoy my, It’s A Southern Thang series (intentionally misspelled, pronounced with a Texas drawl).

Our new Monthly Giveaway starts August 4, and it's Winner's Choice with great options for prizes. Take a look at it.

Best Wishes,

             Karen Kelley
             www.authorkarenkelley.com

                                                                   Purchase now or read
                                                                      for free in KU

Only 99 cents? Oh my! by Karen Kelley

I currently have Temperature's Rising on sale for 99 cents. How fantastic is that? This is a full-length, standalone, romantic comedy. Here's a little bit of Temperature's Rising:

 

Arresting the police chief's daughter was Conor's first mistake...

     

      Conor Richmond thought the woman in front of him looked a little desperate, and sexy as hell. He wondered why she worked the streets. He figured her more for a high-priced call girl than a street hooker.

    
     New in town, maybe? Like him?


     Except she wanted to start a business. And the way she looked, it wouldn’t take her long to have a whole string of Johns begging for her favors and willing to shell out more than a couple of hundred dollars. If she cleaned up a little, that is, and bought some decent clothes. Her hose were ripped so bad she’d do better without them, and her skirt looked like she’d dug it out of the Salvation Army trash bin.


     A niggle of pity washed over him. What had driven her to this way of life? Drugs? Her eyes were a little red-rimmed. She could be a user, although he didn’t see any track marks running up her arms.


     But underneath the smudge of dirt on her face and the worn clothes, he saw a sensuous woman, and he had a hell of a time keeping his gaze from straying. The amount of cleavage showing beckoned him to bury his face in her lush curves.


     The view only got better. Her long, silky legs drew his attention even if her hose were shredded. They were the kind of legs made to wrap around a man. Pulling him deeper and deeper inside her hot body. Yeah, she was made for sex. The kind that got down and dirty.


     A carload of boys driving by whistled and honked their horn. She looked momentarily distracted, then tossed a saucy grin in their direction as they laughed and sped down the street.


     The smile transformed her face. Meant to pull an unsuspecting male into her web. Conor wasn’t immune to her charms any more than the next poor sucker would be. But he wasn’t her next customer, either. Sometimes he hated his job.


     “Don’t you think two hundred’s a little steep?” he asked.


     She wet her lips, her gaze returning to his. A temptress. Conor inwardly groaned.


     “Not for what you’ll get.”

     The way she said the words, kind of husky, made him wish just for a few hours he could pretend he wasn’t a cop. Made him wish he hadn’t seen her standing on the sidewalk. And made him wish that for a moment he hadn’t thought she looked out of place and vulnerable. Man, had he misjudged. She was a pro, all right. Her sultry eyes promised sinful delights.


     His gaze was drawn to her low-cut blouse again when her hand moved toward the buttons...just as the gesture was meant to do. His vision clouded as he remembered the way she’d walked down the sidewalk. Hell, how could he forget! Hips swaying seductively, and the way she’d slowly turned back around so he could see what he’d be giving up if she chose to keep going. He’d burned all the way down to his boots. No, she knew exactly what she did to him.


     “And what will I get for my money?” he asked, wanting her to spell it out.


     Her eyes widened innocently. “Why, everything, of course.”


     Sliding his hand into his pocket, he emerged with a roll of crisp, green bills. Thumbing them, he drew two out and handed them to her. She took the money, looking a little confused, he thought, but decided it was part of her act. He pocketed the rest.


     “A down payment?” she asked, staring at the bills.

     Figured. She knew she had him by the balls. Why not twist a little harder? Get as much of his cash as she could.


     “Is that okay?” He stepped forward. So near, her scent washed over him, bathing him with erotic fantasies. She might look like she’d been sleeping in the streets, but she smelled oh-so-sweet. She raised her head. Her lips so close. So kissable. He ached to pull her into his arms and see if her mouth was as hot as it looked.


     “I...suppose.”


     Too bad.


     In one swift motion, he reached behind him, drew the handcuffs from the leather case hooked to his belt, and snapped them shut over her wrists.


     A shame he couldn’t have met her in another place. He had a gut feeling they would’ve been good together.


     “Lady, you’re under arrest for solicitation."

 

     I hope you enjoy Temperature's Rising! And don't forget about our monthly give away. We have some terrific prizes this month.

 

Best Wishes,

Karen Kelley
www.authorkarenkelley.com

Don't forget the June giveaway! To enter , visit our Monthly Giveaway Page. Or click the direct link here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/21df08a224/

Click to Purchase Now for 99 cents

 

 

While Researching...by Karen Kelley #RomanceGems

     I love this time of the year. The bluebonnets, Indian paintbrushes, and yellow (probably weeds?) flowers in Texas are flourishing. Even if the yellow ones are weeds, they’re still pretty. There are blankets of them in pastures across our state. Sometimes life can get so hectic we forget to look at what’s around us. Sometimes weeds can be really pretty.
    
     There was a skunk in the backyard last night. I’m almost certain it wasn’t the flowers I was smelling. Apparently, something scared the skunk because the night air was very ‘fragrant’. I remember our Pekingese saw a skunk in the yard once and started chasing it while I was frantically screaming NO! at the top of my lungs. Of course, she didn’t listen and the ‘kitty cat’ sprayed her.

     We researched every treatment we could find to get rid of the odor. Tomato juice, oatmeal baths, a mixture of vanilla extract with a gallon of water, apple cider vinegar… and baths. LOTS of baths. No matter what we did, it was still weeks before we finally got rid of the smell.

     Sometimes a writer’s research opens up possibilities. I ended up putting a scene in, How To Seduce A Texan, where the heroine gets sprayed by a skunk. It was a lot more fun than trying to get our little dog smelling better. By the way, we had a black and white cat visiting our backyard not long after that. Our little dog decided she wouldn’t mess with the cat.

     I love taking an episode from life and using it to fit a book I’m currently working on. I bet you can find little pieces of most authors in their work. It does make me wonder about Stephen King, though.

     If you celebrate Easter, I hope you have a fantastic one. If not, I still hope you have a great weekend! Southern Comfort is still on sale for 99 cents, but I’m not sure how long I’ll leave it at that price. Rescue Me, my newest book just released and I’m super excited about it. And don’t forget to enter our Easter Egg hunt!

Read for free in KU
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Still only 99 cents
or read for free in KU

 

Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt

Check out the Monthly Giveaway tab to learn how to play this month’s game.

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s egg can be found on my website:   www.authorkarenkelley.com 

Use the “Contact the Romance Gems” link on the left sidebar (toward the bottom) to send us your answer. Include the place you found it, the color of the egg, and either the author's name or date of the post.

Best of luck!                                                                              

             Karen Kelley
             www.authorkarenkelley.com

  

When Life Gives You Lemons...by Karen Kelley #RomanceGems

     When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.

    

     I love reading the posts from the Gems group. Like Kari, this is a time for change in mine and Karl's life. On April 20, 2016 we took a deep breath and left Henrietta, Texas on an adventure. We'd downsized and sold the house. For the next few years we traveled to 39 states. For a couple who rarely took adventures, this was a huge step.

     Suddenly, we were kids again. We saw and did things we would never have thought about doing. We went to National Forests, we were mesmerized by Elk and Geese, even Pink Flamingos. By really tall mountains and waterfalls.

     Then there were the people we met along the way. Friends who still correspond with us.

     Different foods we got to try, and it was a good thing we hiked a lot.

     We had solar panels installed, an inverter, and three marine size batteries. Boondocking was great. We could park in the middle of nowhere and still have electricity.

     But that chapter is closing. At least with the RV. We were in Tifton, GA when Karl's lung collapsed. Then he was transferred to Atlanta. Me driving in Atlanta was an--experience. Since I hadn't really driven our truck since we became full time RVers, yes, it was definitely an experience. I think my daughter's finger imprints are still embedded on the dash. I did manage with her help.

     Karl is on oxygen now, but we adapted. We came back to Texas where his doctors are. We've been in Texas long enough to know it's time to let someone else have an adventure. We put the RV up for sale.

     I'm almost certain we'll have more adventures in our future. We'll never regret the last few years. I'm pretty sure some of those adventures will end up in my books. I know I've learned that I'm stronger for it. I can now drive a big truck through the middle of some crazy busy traffic, I'm not afraid of trying new things, and I'm looking forward to what we can do next.

     Have you been on an adventure? I'd love to hear about it. Or maybe you're planning one? Enquiring minds want to know.

 

LUCK O' THE IRISH Giveaway: 3 Ways to Win 

1. Comment & Win

Leave a comment on any post in March + Your Email Addy—written out, i.e. Mary at yahoo dot com. (We need your email to verify you are who you say you are and to contact you.)  

The more comments you make; the greater your chance of winning. Winner selected by random draw from eligible entries.

Prizes: $5.00 Amazon Gift Card at the end of each week beginning March 8 for a total of 4 Amazon Gift Cards.

2. Friends Tell Friends

To enter, send your friends to visit us. When your friend visits and reads a post, he or she should leave a comment with their email address written out and include the name and email of the friend who made the referral. (Readers, coordinate this with your friend.)

Both names/emails will be entered in Friends Tell Friends Giveaway. The more friends you bring; the greater your chances of winning. Winner selected by random draw from eligible entries at end of March.

Prizes: Romance Readers Tee & Audiobook by Nancy Fraser

3. Luck O'The Irish Rafflecopter

1st Grand Prize Winner: Name a Female Character in an Author's upcoming Book plus $10.00 Amazon Gift Card.

2nd Grand Prize Winner: Name a Male Character in an Author's upcoming Book plus $10.00 Amazon Gift Card.

You can find all the Rafflecopter prizes on the Monthly Giveaway tab.

 

Best,
Karen Kelley
www.authorkarenkelley.com


                                                             Coming Soon 

     

The Writing Process by Karen Kelley #RomanceGems

     Or I could've titled this Staring At A Blank Page. That's how it all starts, no matter who you are. But I'm getting ahead of myself. The first thing that happens is the glimmer of an idea. The 'what if'.

     Right now, I'm staring out the window at another RV. I rarely see the man next door, and I've never seen him with a companion.

     What if (note: now we're playing the 'what if' game) he killed her (a little horror and suspense)?

     Or what if his wife passed and they loved RVing so he set the RV up and comes out on the weekends to relive those moments? Now we're going into drama.

     Or what if he's staring at our RV right this very minute. If that's the case, he's probably a comedy writer.  

     Step two, or is this step three: Procrastination. I have a great story. I can see it playing out inside my head as if I'm watching a movie. I'm staring at my laptop...

     I probably should wash a load of clothes. Oh darn, I forgot to put bread on my grocery list. I want to go to the Farmers Market this weekend. They have the best homemade jelly.

     NO!  I'm going to write! Think about characters, think about storyline. Deep breath...

     Actually, that's pretty much the way I start a new book. I think that's why it was easy to write Dangling...Participle? The first book in my Hayes Brothers series. Katie is a wannabe romance author. She has all the doubts and fears that go along with wanting something, but being uncertain about her ability to actually write a book. It doesn't help that her sisters and mother want her to get a 'real' job.

     Then she meets Jaxson. He'll help her in ways she never expects.

     Dangling...Participle is a steamy romantic comedy and shares some of the insights into a writing career. I hope you enjoy the story, and the series.

     And don't forget about entering for the chance to win free books or a Kindle Fire:

 Clickhere to enter the Rafflecopter

    To enter COMMENT & WIN Weekly Giveaway, just leave a comment on this post, or any of the posts throughout February, with your email address written out, i.e. Mary at yahoo dot com. The more comments you make; the greater your chance of winning.

Best Wishes,

Karen Kelley

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