Showered With Love @karilemor #RomanceGems

As I mentioned before, my oldest daughter is expecting baby #3 in a few weeks. It’s very exciting because her first two are boys and this one is a little girl. I get to buy frilly ribbons and things with bows again. Although maybe not. Both of my girls were never the girly-girl types.  They’d wear dresses if they had to and cleaned up well enough, but typically they were casual gals, with ponytails and no make-up.

They still are.

But with the advent of this new baby, one of her friends decided she needed a baby shower for girl stuff. It got me thinking of where the term baby shower came from. Showering the new mother with gifts.

But can we shower people with other things? Of course, we can!  I’m still in Florida but have a plane ticket heading back to New England in early May. Hopefully, my new little girl will hold off long enough for me to return. As much as I’m dying to cuddle this new granddaughter in my arms, I think it will be more likely I’ll be taking the boys out and letting them run around while their mom takes care of our new little flower. 

I’m totally okay with this. I love and miss the boys when I’m in Florida, though we video chat at least twice a week catching up on all that’s happening with them. They live in a neighborhood that has a small private beach on a beautiful lake. So I’m guessing my summer will be filled with taking the boys to the lake. Such a hardship! 

 I love swimming. My grandparents had a place on a nearby lake and we had a small above ground pool. It took a lot for my parents to get us OUT Of the water. Maybe why I love to be near the water even now. So taking the boys and hanging out in the water will be fun. 

I wasn’t able to attend my daughter’s baby shower -though I did send her a few small gifts – but mostly I will be showering them all with my love and time.(and maybe helping her do laundry and dishes and cleaning the house)  I know this gift is better than any other I could give. And it's the one my daughter appreciates the most.

Right now I’d like to shower you with a small gift. 

I’ve recently put the first book in the Love on the Line series on sale at 99c. But because you are reading this here and now, I have an offer for you to download it FREE.  (Way better than 99c, right?)

Wild Card Undercover

All I ask is if you like it, consider checking out the rest of the books in the series. Books 1 – 4 are currently available. Books 5 and 6 will be out soon.

Love on the Line

Also, authors are so grateful for reviews. It doesn’t have to be much. A sentence or two of what you loved about the book. This helps readers find new books that fit their tastes.

Your assignment today - Go out and shower someone else with love and friendship – or an author with a nice review!!

 

Stay positive, remember the blessings we do have, and read lots of romance!!

Kari

 

 

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Out with the Old...In with the New by @karilemor #RomanceGems

 

The year that shall not be named is gone and so we look forward to something better. But in order to do that I need to make sure I put positivity in my attitude. Stay away from the news and focus on all the wonderful things life has to offer. And there are SO MANY things to be thankful for.

I have a wonderful husband, three beautiful children, 2 adorable grandsons, and I’m getting a new baby granddaughter in early May. The though of buying little girl clothes and bows again (2 of my 3 children are girls) is so exciting.

I’ve got great friends, online and off, who support me and help me through the hard times. My extended family are all lovely people who keep in touch as best they can.

And I’ve done more writing than ever before.

This year will be a whirlwind with releases. The one I’m most excited about is my Love on the Line series. It’s what I like to call “Romance with a splash of Danger”. Heavy on romance and light on suspense.

The first three books, Wild Card Undercover, Running Target, and Fatal Evidence, originally released in 2017.  Unfortunately, recently, the publisher put the books at a ridiculous price of $9.99 for digital. Yeah, I know. I wouldn’t even buy my own books at that price!!

But now I have control over them and will be rereleasing the first three books in Jan, Feb, and March. They’ll be at a much more reasonable price of $3.99.  And I’ve added a new scene or two to each book!!

The really exciting thing is this series has three more books coming right after it. We saw Chris, Jack, and Scott in the original series, but we also got glimpses of their other army buddies, Drew, Keith, and Nick.  So now these new guys will finally get to tell you their stories and find the women of their dreams.

These books will follow the first three in April, May, and June. So you can binge the whole series all at once if you hate waiting for the sequels. FYI, the books are all stand alones and can be read in any order.

For those who enjoy my small town contemporary Storms of New England series, I will be releasing Greg and Luke’s stories later this year.

And I have another surprise book coming out closer to Christmas. More about that at a later date.

Wild Card Undercover will be released TODAY!!! And you can get it at most retailers. More information and LINKS for them are here:  WILD CARD UNDERCOVER 

 

Stay positive, remember the blessings we do have, and read lots of romance!!

Kari

 

Why Read Romance? by @karilemor #RomanceGems

My day to blog on Romance Gems is the 18^th of each month. The reason I chose that is because it’s the date of my birthday. Precisely, June 18. Which is TODAY!  I knew I wouldn’t forget it.

As we get another year older, we often reflect on our life and what we’ve done. Today, I’m taking a peek at my relationship with romance.  Or maybe I should say romance novels. 

As a young child, I loved reading Trixie Belden books. Looking back, I realized that was the beginning of my fascination with relationships and romance. I wanted Trixie and Jim to be together in all the scenes. And when I read Nancy Drew, I loved when Ned showed up. Same with the Hardy Boys. I always wanted Callie and Iola to be around, so I could see the interaction between these couples.

Now my mom was a Harlequin fanatic. Every month, on release day, she would go down the street to the department store and take one of every new release Harlequin had. My mom was a voracious reader (thus passing that gene on to me) and would have two piles next to her chair. To Be Read. And Done. I got to pick through the done pile.

At this time, these romance books were all sweet or closed-door sex. Which was good, since I was only twelve.  They also only had the heroine’s point of view. We’d only see what the hero was thinking on the last few pages, when he started his soliloquy as to why he’d been so surly to the heroine all along. I was thrilled when the heroes started getting their point of view added to romance as well.

As the years went by, romances changed, and some grew sexier, some had danger added, and some told stories of paranormal creatures and beings. But through it all, the heart of a romance is about the couple in love.

It's sad that people often put romance down as being smutty, dirty, silly, or just plain not as worthy of people to read. And while there may be some romance books that could fit in those categories, most romances are all about love.

As author Damon Suede says, “Romance is the genre of hope.” And isn’t that a great reason to read it? This world has so many horrible things that go on every day. So many people who do nothing but hate, or people who are brutalized and hurt. With all that surrounding us, why wouldn’t we want to pick up a book that lets us escape from the real world for a bit? A book that shows two characters, conflicted for some reason so they can’t be together, who push past all the hurt and anger, and find a way to love each other. To show us that if we want it bad enough, and work for it, we can have something good in our lives. Hope.

All romances have one thing in common. A Happily Ever After.  That’s my favorite part. Even though all may seem lost, and you think your couple couldn’t possibly find a way to be together, they do! And the best writers have you absolutely certain this couple will be together, forever.

Maybe the world would be a much better, more accepting place, if more people read romance!

~~~

In celebration of my birthday, I’m giving YOU a present! That’s right. My birthday, but you get the gift. I am giving away five (5) digital copies of my book, RUNNING TARGET, and five (5) digital copies of Fatal Evidence. The contest is open to everyone.

What do you need to do? Simple.

Send an e-mail to: karilemorauthor@gmail.com  stating you’d like one of my books. If you already have one of these and would prefer the other, make sure you let me know. 

Please use the email address you’d like me to respond to if you win.

That’s it! Just send me an e-mail.

I will pick (10) random winners one week from today, Tuesday, June 25. Winners will be notified by e-mail and receive a code for downloading the book.

**If you’d like to sign up for my mailing list or follow me on social media, here’s where you can:

(FYI - signing up for my mailing list gives you links to some freebies from me)

Website | Facebook  | Twitter  | Pinterest | Instagram | Goodreads | BookBub | Amazon

Don't forget our  MONTHLY GIVEAWAY

June Giveaway

Starts at 12:01am CDT, June 3, Monday.  Ends at 12:01am CDT, June 27, Thursday.

Check out details and prizes here:  June Giveaway

Becoming a Mom! by @karilemor #RomanceGems

Being a mother can be one of the most rewarding jobs ever…and it can be one of the hardest. I’m one of those people who, from the time I was little, always wanted to be a mom. I was the neighborhood babysitter that everyone used. I took Child Care classes in high school. I majored in Early Childhood Education in undergrad. I couldn’t get enough of being around small children. My first real job was teaching Kindergarten in a public school system.

But those children were only mine for a short while each day. I didn’t have control over how many hugs or stories they got at bedtime. But two years after I graduated college and got my first job, my college sweetheart and I got married. Less than two years later, we had a baby girl.

It wasn’t in the moment of her birth that I felt like a mom, no, I was too exhausted to even speak. But the moment it truly hit me that I was a mother is ingrained deep in my memory. My daughter was born at night and I was so tired the nurses offered to take her to the nursery so I could get some rest. Early the next morning, they brought her to me because she’d been fussing a bit and figured I needed to breastfeed her. I held her close, whispered to her, and she settled right down. And I fell asleep. An hour later the nurse came back to get her so the doctor could do a quick exam. Oh, no, I hadn’t fed her. She’d fallen asleep so I had too.

The nurse looked at me and grinned. “I guess she just needed her mom.”

That was it. The moment I realized this precious child needed me. What an emotional feeling.  I still tear up thinking about that moment, and the abundant, unconditional love I had for another human. One I had helped to create.  There’s nothing in the world like it.

These are my children, years ago, Emily, Kasey, and Christopher! 

What's a special 'mom' moment in your life? As a mom or with your own mom? 

~~~

In my book, Running Target, Jack Holland was raised by a man who was always working. He swears he’ll be a better father than that. Until a mob hit sends him running, away from the covert family he needs to protect. Here’s a little snippet of Jack sneaking into the hospital to steal a quick peek at his new son.

****

 Stepping closer, he looked down on the clear container, the blue tag proclaiming this child to be a boy. Squinting in the dim light, he read the words. Mother’s name: Callina Lansing. Baby: Jonathan.

Jonathan. She’d named the baby after him. A lump clogged his throat. A son. Damn. He had a son and wouldn’t be able to get to know him, see him grow, share in his life. This world was too cruel at times.

He shouldn’t take the chance but he needed to hold him. It was vital that he touch the life he and Callie had created. He wanted—no needed—to let his child know how much he loved him. The powerful emotion emanated from his heart even as he gazed down at the tiny figure. How could love grow this fast? His first glimpse was only a second ago. Now the feeling consumed him.

Reaching down, he stroked the side of his son’s face. The baby turned his head, his bow-shaped lips opening slightly. Jack’s heart beat faster. The protective instincts that had always come into play when he was around Callie, throbbed to life and expanded as he gazed at the sweet face of his son. Heat like an electric storm surged through his blood. How could he protect this child in his current situation? He’d bring more danger upon him if he hung around. Eight months of running, trying to escape the long arm of Victor Cabrini, had shown him what hell was. Now he glimpsed a small piece of heaven.

He slid his hands under the infant, lifting him from the bed to hold him close. Jonathan barely weighed anything. His heart constricted yet again. The innocent baby scent wafted into his nostrils and he blinked back the moisture filling his eyes. The reaction was primitive and territorial. This was his son.

~~~

~~~

"Thrilling...Lemor once again features a dynamite protagonist who's easily relatable,
and her talent for incorporating romance and forgiveness against the odds
make Running Target even more enticing." 

—RT Book Reviews

Currently RUNNING TARGET is on sale for only 99cents on all retailers. 

You can find the links here:

RUNNING TARGET

**And I just sent out a newly written prequel for this novel
to my mailing list subscribers. 

If you haven't gotten it, sign up for my newsletter then send me a quick note saying you want the prequel, and I'll get it to you!**

Kari Lemor

~~~

Don't forget this month's CONTEST!
In May, Romance Gems honors HEROES AND SHE-ROES: Moms, Soldiers, and First Responders.

The Grand Prize: One (1) $20.00 Amazon Gift Card.

2nd thru 5th Prizes: Ebook Bundles by our bestselling authors. The books being given away are shown on the Monthly Giveaway page.

How To Enter:

You have multiple opportunities to enter.

Click this Rafflecopter link.

Start clicking buttons on the Rafflecopter. Each task counts as one entry.

Complete all the tasks for the most chances to win!

Our policies concerning Promotions and Giveaways, Eligibility, and Prize Award Procedures are shown in detail on our Policies Page. Please read. We strictly adhere to those policies.

Good luck!

Write What You Know by @KariLemor #RomanceGems

Often the advice writers get is ‘write what you know’. If everyone followed this advice though, we’d never have any science fiction or paranormal or fantasy books. Every now and then, writers need to branch out of their comfort zone and use their imagination. Or at least Google.

My first series, Love on the Line, was a romantic suspense featuring men who had been in the military together. Since I’ve never been in the military, I needed to use my imagination. And ask my father-in-law about his experiences. He spent almost a year in Kuwait during Desert Storm. I also checked in with two brothers-in-law who are a cop and a prison guard. It’s great when you get help throwing more conflict at your characters.

But in my newest series, Storms of New England, I’m going back to the ‘write what you know’ advice. Growing up in New England, I’ve experienced everything the area has to offer. The gorgeous coastline, the beautiful mountains, the refreshing lakes, and the small-town atmosphere that brings people and communities together.  I love the neighbor-helping-neighbor type of location and the family closeness you often have.

I grew up a few streets over from my grandparents and lived in what was then the “French” district of our small city. I went to the French Catholic school, as did most of the neighborhood kids. I had cousins who also went to the same schools and hung around with some of the same friends. Often after school, I stopped to see my grandmother before I walked the rest of the way home. On holidays, we would make the rounds visiting friends and family who all lived nearby. I loved the tight knit community.

So I’m drawing on those memories with this new series. The Storms are a family who originate in the small fictional town of Squamscott Falls, NH. Grandparents Hans and Ingrid Storm have three sons, Peter, Kris, and Nick. These men have ten children between them. Whether I’ll get to all ten will be decided by how well the series is received. The books will take place not only in Squamscott Falls, but also the coast of Maine, Cape Cod, and possibly a few other New England locations.

The first book, Elusive Dreams, doesn’t have a release date yet, but I’ll let everyone know as soon as I do. The series is small town contemporary. I left out the suspense in this one, but that doesn’t mean I won’t throw in a wee bit of danger or angst. We all know I love it!

Here’s the blurb for this story:

Creating a family might be the only thing to heal two scarred souls.

Wounded Marine, Erik Storm, can barely walk. Taking care of two children is out of the question, though he’d promised their dying mother. Moving to coastal Maine seems ideal, with his grandparent’s house empty, and quiet Tessa living next door. Tessa Porter is happy to help. Years in foster care has made her leery of people, earning her nickname No-Touch Tessa, but two children can’t possibly hurt her, right?

When Erik’s claim on the children is questioned, he and Tessa enter into a marriage of convenience to retain custody. A scarred soldier and an agoraphobic freak make the perfect couple. No expectations for physical intimacy or falling in love. But will Erik grow tired of her innocence and inability to be around people? Will Tessa want more than he can physically give? And when their reason for the marriage is threatened, will love be enough to keep them together?

~~~

Check out my Pinterest Board for Storms of New England, and the specific stories in that series! 

Do any of them look interesting? What kind of setting do you like for your romances?? 

Kari Lemor on Pinterest

APRIL GIVEAWAY AT ROMANCE GEMS!

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 one of the pages on my website. You will have to search by clicking on the page links under the banner.

Go here:  Kari Lemor

While you’re on my site, sign up for my mailing list if you want info about new releases or free stuff. ( I have a free prequel to my book, Running Target, going out to subscribers soon)

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.

Good luck!

Kari

A Splash of Danger with your Romance? by @KariLemor #RomanceGems

Romance is such a broad category. You’ve got contemporary, historical, or futuristic. Paranormal, fantasy, erotic, suspense, rom-com, inspirational, and many others. You can put several of these together.

When I finished my first book (and the series it belonged to), I needed to figure out how to categorize the story. Contemporary, for sure. But it had a criminal element and an ex-military FBI agent.  So the story was sent out as a romantic suspense.

But after reading quite a few other suspense novels, I realized mine was nothing like the run-for-your-life-every-second-of-the-book kind. It also did not have the intense detail of third world power struggles or the inner workings of organized crime. I will readily admit I’m too lazy to do the kind of research and world building those kinds of novels require. And I hate having beloved characters die, which is unrealistic in intense suspense. My focus is always on the characters and their relationship.

Chatting with another author who writes similar to me, she called it ‘light suspense’ and I like that description.  Thus my tagline “Romance with a splash of danger” was born. I love focusing on the relationship between the hero and heroine and how they react to the conflict in their lives and between each other. But throwing in lots of danger and putting them in peril also gives me a rush. I love to add tons of angst and really hit people with emotions. One way to do that is what we (in the fan fiction community – yes, that’s where I got my start writing) call hurt/comfort.  You hurt one character (either emotionally or physically) so the other one can comfort them. I do love torturing my characters. Muahahaha! *rubs hands together maniacally*

So even though I don’t have the run-for-your-lives-every-second kind of book, I still like adding a few good battles for my characters to go through. Physical and emotional. If you like a lighter suspense novel, then please check out my first series:  Love on the Line –  where the heroes are all from the same military unit in Afghanistan. Danger is in their blood, but with the right woman by their side, they are strong enough for any new challenge.

Currently you can get all three books for under $5!! They are available at most online retailers (see website below for the links)

And FYI, I had a number of people ask for a prequel to Running Target, to show how the main characters actually met. This is in the works and will be offered to my mailing list subscribers. If you’d like to be on my list, you can sign up on my website. I rarely send more than once a month, if that, and usually only when I have new information or a sale… No spam, promise!

https://www.karilemor.com/

Also, while you’re on my site, check for the free short story (Canobie Kisses) and novella (Unstable Ground) that I’m giving away.  And I LOVE hearing from readers and will respond to all.  Send me a note letting me know if you liked one of my books!! I love talking about my books and the characters in them!

See you soon,

Kari