Savoring Serendipity by @karilemor #RomanceGems

 For many years, I loved going to writer conferences and reader events, looking to make connections with others book lovers like me. Obviously, that has been stalled for the past year. But this weekend, I have the chance to get back in the saddle, so to speak.

In the colder months, I live in the beautiful town of St. Augustine in Florida. My husband and I fell in love with the place a few years ago during a six-month RV trip down the east coast. And right here in my glorious town is the Book Obsessed Babes Author Signing Event on March 19 and 20. I don’t even have to get a hotel room as a few of the events are right in downtown. Walkable from where I live.

There’re a few fun social events, and I’ve already got my mask so people will know who I am.

 

 The book signing is much of the day on Saturday, and I’m so excited to meet new readers who love romance as much as I do. I’ll also get to meet other authors of this fabulous genre. These new authors make me think back to all the fabulous people I have met over the years who have helped me on my journey.

Many years ago, before I was anywhere near publishing my books, I was on a forum for romance writers set up by Harlequin. Here I met some of my closest writer friends. My critique partner, MA Grant, was found on this site. It’s interesting because she writes paranormal and fantasy and often m/m while I write contemporary and suspense and write m/f. Yet, even though I don’t normally read her subgenre, I LOVE everything she’s written (because she’s the most excellent writer ever). We complement each other when we critique each other’s early drafts. We each have strengths and weaknesses and help the other with them.

Two other friends I found online are Kris (Kickstand) and Emily (Firedew). These ladies started as fan fiction writers like me. I had written over a million and a half words of fanfiction before moving onto original work. (I wrote under the names kariesue and darker works under karasel) Kris is a voracious reader of many genres and is essential in letting me know when I need to add something to a book or when characters need tweaking. Emily has been promoted to my editor and is so amazing in suggesting new words or changing the order of sentences and paragraphs to make them flow better. And she adds in all the commas that I forget (probably millions!)

I have another small group of ladies we call The Fab Four. We roomed together at one of the RWA conferences and have remained friends, supporting each other. Each week, MA Grant, Carrie Nichols, Brynn Kelly, and I provide motivation and assistance in whatever we need. It’s so great having these women be available for support and suggestions.

For the past two years, I’ve had another group who all support each other. This is the fabulous Romance Gems and this blog. A few of the Gems are good friends and writers from local events (Peggy Jaeger, Kathy Hills, and Nora LeDuc!!) I get to see these women in person when there are reader and writer events set in New England. I love touching base with them and hope to do so again soon (Fall in Love New England, here we come!!).   And so many other non-Gems that I've connected with!! 

The rest of the Gems have become good friends and part of my stalwart support system. I’m very excited to be a part of a new ‘world’ being created by them. The Last Chance Beach World. The first book releases in May and I will be book 5 coming out early November. Stay tuned to this blog because I’m sure there’ll be lots of information in the next few months about this new endeavor.

I believe all these people have been brought into my life for a reason. Serendipity. They have been essential in getting me to where I am today with the books I currently have published. Take a peek at my website and other social media to find out about my small-town contemporary series, The Storms of New England.  As well as my romantic suspense lite series, Love on the Line.

Until I ‘see’ you again,

Happy Reading!

 

Kari

 

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Coffee and Conversation with the #RomanceGems

It's time for Coffee and Conversation with the Romance Gems! So, grab a cup of your favorite beverage and join us for some fun. This month's topic is: What is the best writing advice or compliment about your writing you have received?

You know what I’m talking about… That “aha moment” when someone shares a tip or comments on one of your books. Something that truly struck a chord. Whether in casual conversation, in a book review, during an interview, or at a workshop/class or book signing. Tell me what someone said about your writing that truly resonates with you.

"A couple of years before I sold my first book, Always Annie, author Muriel Jensen sent me a letter including the underlined words: "Never give up. Never, never give up." I taped the note to my desk, where it stayed until the ink faded away. It was the best advice I ever had and I still, now that I'm nearing the other end of my career, remind myself of it from time to time. Thanks, Muriel."
~ Liz Flaherty

"It’s been more than twenty years and more than forty books later, but my favorite compliment on my writing came after my first book, A Duke Deceived, was published in 1998. It became a finalist for the Holt Medallion, Best Historical. I didn’t win, but the contest coordinator contacted me afterward to tell me I missed winning by the smallest possible margin, and she wanted to soften the blow by telling me that one of the judges said my book was the best book she’d ever read. That’s the kind of praise one never forgets!" ~ Cheryl Bolen

“I had four books released. I went to my RWA meeting and met, for the second time, a woman who became my critique partner. She said she binge-read the books in the Loudon Series and couldn’t wait for the next one. I was shocked, stunned might be a better word. She wasn’t being nice; she really liked them. We began talking and emailing. Soon we were looking at each other’s pages. Flash forward four years, we talk constantly. She shoots straight, good or bad, and keeps me on the right track." Chapter 1 - MacLellan Sisters with Newsletter 
~ Lucinda Race


“I've received several comments/reviews on how realistic my characters are and the research I've put in them. In my book, Love, A Second Time Around, I received this compliment: "Constance crafts stories with characters who are interesting, realistic--people you miss after you read The End. True to Montana lifestyle and respective to Native American beliefs, this is a love story you don't want to miss!" This warmed the cackles of my heart.” ~ Constance Bretes

“Best compliment I received was when I’d written my first romance novel. Glowing rejections, resulted in the novel I entered in a RWA contest. One judge was Leslie Wainger, of Harlequin, her comment: best synopsis she’d ever read!

 “Even though I didn’t make that Harlequin sale, three months later Hilary Sares, at Kensington, purchased my novel for the Precious Gems line. My package landed in the snow leaving the final three chapters unreadable. I agreed to resent it. Hilary said I didn’t understand. She wanted to purchase the novel. Now with zero revisions!”
~ Connie Vines

“The most rewarding response I've received from a reader was an email from a sexual assault survivor. She said her therapist told her to find some women’s erotic fiction to help her feel "normal" again. She found my book Perdition House Part 1 An Erotic Saga. She thanked me for helping in her recovery and providing a book that had no triggers.

"I cried when I got the email and so did my daughters. It's a woman thing, but we all want to feel those feelings and I helped a young woman heal. It doesn't get any better than that!” Perdition House Part 1 is always #FREE ~ Bonnie Edwards




“When I sold my first Precious Gems to Kensington, my mother was proud. However, I did mention the editor had added a few words to the love scene (which wasn’t originally hot). She told all her gray-haired friends that the editor wrote all of the love scene! I suppose her daughter shouldn’t know that stuff.” ~ Jan Scarbrough

“The best compliments I've received from readers are when they tell me my books made them cry. In Elusive Dreams, Tessa has a hard past, and as her history reveals itself, many things come to light. I've had a number of reviews letting me know the reader had tears in their eyes, or bawled like baby. I love when people feel the emotion of the characters! I know I've done my job!”
~ Kari Lemor

“At a writing conference a reader came up to me and said “I felt every emotion Regina was going through in CHRISTMAS & CANNOLIS and she sounded so real on the page. Like we’d be best friends in life.” That moment made my year. My goal as a writer is to elicit all kinds of emotions with my words and characters and make my heroines be the kind you’d like to have as friends and root for. Goal accomplished with this reader’s words!” ~ Peggy Jaeger

“One of my best compliments came in the form of a rejection. I stopped writing for a few years. When I started submitting my work again, I pitched a romantic suspense to my old editor at Kensington. I wasn't feeling confident and needed familiar territory. The editor didn't offer a contract but left me with a compliment instead. "You write in the style of Iris Johansen. This one just isn't right for us." Just a few words, and the rejection stung, but they were words I needed to hear then, and still keep me going today.” ~ Maddie James




“A couple of career highlights stick out through the years. One was when a reader told me she cried while reading the most difficult scene I ever wrote, one I had sobbed my way through. Another was when the fabulous editor I worked with at Pocket Books told me my work was so clean, she read it and edited it at the same time. No revisions! Music to an author’s ears.” ~ Kathleen Lawless

“Two things stick with me. The first was when a reader reached out to say I was her ‘go to author’ when she needed an escape. She also LOVED my hero and explained that Highland House – the Victorian-era mansion in my Time Traveler’s Journey Series – was her ‘happy place’ and her 'dream'. She would pick up my books whenever she wanted to get away.

"The second happened recently, when a friend commented, ‘You write one hell of a sex scene.’ Quite a complement if you understand how much time and effort goes into writing those challenging pages.”
~ Kathryn Hills



Okay, it's your turn to join the conversation! Add your comments below or send via email through the "contact us” link on the bottom of the left sidebar. You can also make suggestions on what you'd like to discuss here in the future.

Thanks for joining us!

 ~ The Romance Gems ~

ONLY A FEW DAYS LEFT TO ENTER OUR

MAY CONTEST!

Visit HERE for contest details OR go directly to our Rafflecopter

May Prizes

1st Prize: $20.00 Amazon Gift Card

2nd Prize: $15.00 Amazon Gift Card

3rd Prize: $10.00 Amazon Gift Card

Best of luck to everyone!

My Kind of Hero @karilemor #RomanceGems

So many people talk about book boyfriends and I have to admit I don’t really have any. Not that I don’t like the heroes I read about. I do! But typically, I read romance. In these stories I am looking for a connection between the two main characters.  If I end up with the hero, that means the other character does not. Then it wouldn’t be a romance. Or it would be my romance, and since I’m already married, that would be a problem. I’m not into cheating.  In my life or in my books.

When I do choose my heroes, I have to say I like certain things. And some things I’m not a huge fan of. Jerky alpha billionaire, Pass. Any guy who’s ever cheated on a woman, Pass. Royalty, sheik, hit man. Pass. I’m more into those who serve, like military, police, firefighter, or government agent.  Or I like the manly type who work with their hands. Cowboy, carpenter, or farmer.

One of my good friends checked out my ‘Hero’ Pinterest board and said I definitely have a type. Yup, I do. Physically, I like them trim, clean cut, lean muscles, and swoon worthy. I do appreciate a bit of chest hair as well. But that’s all superficial.

What I really want in a hero is vulnerability. Sure, I want them to be macho and strong, physically and emotionally. But I also want them to be real. To have problems they need to work on. I want them to love their woman with every fiber of their being and fight until the death for them. Since many of my books are romantic suspense, they do exactly that. Well, not quite to the death, but often times close.

It’s great that most books now have the hero’s point of view as well. I love the inner thoughts and the struggles they go through in the story. One favorite is Nikko from Peggy Jaeger’s Cant Stand the Heat. He’s a definite alpha male who takes no guff from anyone. But he’s got this teenage daughter who is going through quite an ordeal. Instead of being the absent father, or the one who rules with an iron fist, he is caring and loving and his daughter is more important to him than anything else in his life. And he constantly tells her so. This man, this father, dug so deeply into my heart, I thought I might bleed.

Another great hero with a vulnerability is Ty from Marianne Rice’s What Makes Us Stronger. Ty is a man who works with his hands and very masculine. But he suffers from depression and struggles to get through life with this around his neck. This is a real issue that so many people suffer from.  I love watching him as he finds a way to make things work with the heroine. Swoonworthy.

I’ve got my own vulnerable hero coming out soon. The book, Elusive Dreams, is the first in my new series, Storms of New England. The series is a small-town family contemporary set in…you guessed it… New England.

Erik Storm is the oldest in his family, with three younger Storm siblings. He has always been popular, handsome, well-liked, and successful. But his time as a Marine over seas left him scarred, barely able to walk, and hiding other medical secrets he never wants his family or friends to find out about. But he promised a dying mother he’d take care of her children. How to do that in the physical shape he’s in?

Tessa Porter has bounced around through a variety of foster homes her whole life. In her teens, she finally came to live next door to Erik’s grandparents in coastal Maine, where Erik spent many summers working at a local restaurant. Due to abuse in her past, Tessa hates to be around people and cringes at any form of touch. But she’s willing to help Erik take care of the children. They are younger and weaker and therefore can’t possibly hurt her.

Unfortunately, a social service worker doesn’t think Erik is in any shape to care for these children, so Erik and Tessa embark on a marriage of convenience to ensure the children will have a stable home and loving family. Both Erik and Tessa face challenges, so creating a family might be the only thing to heal these two scarred souls.

~~~

As soon as I have a cover and release date, I will share. To get up to date news, you can subscribe to my mailing list (I only send out a newsletter when I have a sale or new release or other exciting news). Or you can follow me on BookBub.

Now tell me, what is your favorite kind of hero?


*********

July Giveaway

Starts at 12:01am CDT, July 5, Friday.

Ends at 12:01am CDT, July 25, Thursday.

You can click Rafflecopter here at any time, or scroll to the bottom and find the form. Remember, it opens July 5 so enter often and tell your friends. There are some great prizes up for grabs.

July Prizes

Grand Prize: a $20.00 Amazon Gift Card

Second Prize: a $15.00 Amazon Gift Card

Third Prize: a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card

Fourth Prize: 2 print books, each autographed and mailed by the author

5th, 6th, and 7th Prizes: Eboook bundles of 3 Ebooks each

Beach Book Bonanza

What's better than a Beach Book in the summer? Not much, especially when you're talking about these beach books by these bestselling authors!

Some are sweet; some are spicy; some are downright sizzling hot! There's definitely something for everyone.

Have fun in the sun, and nobody can take your books away!

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

A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS…by Hannah Rowan #RomanceGems

At last month’s New Jersey Romance Writers meeting, we were privileged to attend a workshop given by author and marketing guru Carol Van Den Hende.  One of the highlights of her talk was the introduction of two of her friends who are readers, not authors.  These were women who read across genres, who read whatever strikes their fancy or whatever friends recommend.

We enjoyed some interesting insights from listening to them describe how they choose what to read next, and yes, the covers count!  They said they would take a book off the shelf for further perusal if the cover grabbed their interest.

These women are serious readers to the extent that they discuss what they’re reading with friends and family, and often will read the same book as someone else so that they can review it together after they’re done.  They’re too busy for an organized book club but their reading habits more or less make an informal book club of sorts.

The most interesting thing to me was that even though they had very strong opinions about the books they read, and shared those opinions with friends and family, they had never written reviews.  In fact, they weren’t even aware that writing a review was an option, even though they’d read reviews on Amazon and other venues.

While those of us in the romance community are accustomed to readers and authors interacting, and prone to reviewing the books we read, this talk awakened us to the idea that not all readers share this experience.

We at New Jersey Romance Writers concluded that we need to spread the word…Help an Author!  Write a Review!

It doesn’t need to be long or fancy, but it’s a tremendous help to your favorite author if the review is simply there!  On Amazon or Goodreads or BookBub or whatever site you like.  So please be kind to an author, flex your fingers, and share your thoughts with the world!

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED to the ROMANCE GEMS June Wedding celebration. Enter our #Rafflecopter for a chance to win jewelry designed for Readers or Amazon Gift Cards or romance ebooks about love & happy-ever-afters. https://RomanceGems.blogspot.com

Watch our Wedding video, You Are Cordially Invited. You’ll find it on our Movie Theater page: https://romancegems.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_14.html and also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Afw8-IuApeI .
To see the gorgeous prizes and to enter our June Rafflecopter, visit our Monthly Giveaway Page: https://romancegems.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_28.html .
Or you can click this short link if you wish: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/21df08a224/

#RomanceGems

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

Falling in Love in One Night? Why Not? by @KarynGerrard #Giveaway #amwriting #amreading

I have to chuckle when I hear: "This isn't realistic, no one falls in love in one night/first sight." Actually, yes, some people do. In actual real life. It is rare, but it happens.

So why not in a romance story? Why can't the characters fall in love during a short period? One night? One week? One month?

Speaking as a romance reader, I suspend belief when I read for I believe a lot of romance is steeped in fantasy. The white knight riding up to rescue the damsel in distress. It is not based in any reality, as real life is far more messy and complicated. I read romance to escape, immerse myself in another world, and to get that satisfying happily-ever-after.

Doesn't matter if its a short story, a novella, or a full-length novel, I'm there for the journey. I want to be entertained, moved, and rooting for the characters to overcome obstacles in order reach that HEA(happily-ever-after). I would never complain about the length of a story, in fact, a short story is a perfect length for that "insta-love" so many roll their eyes at.

I've seen complaints about sex before falling in love. Well, that happens in real life too. Insta-lust can turn to something deeper, why not have it unfold in a romance novel?

As far as historical romance? The old "A duke would never marry a commoner, this is not realistic" argument also fits here. Again, this is fiction. Fantasy. I can suspend belief, and dukes have married commoners through the ages.

So because all these things factor into my reading experience, it has manifested itself in my romance writing. I have written more than one story where the couple fall in love right away, especially in my shorter works. I now write longer pieces with more complicated plots, but I still enjoy creating that journey to the HEA, whether it takes a night, a month, or a year.

Falling in love in one night? Why not?

Go for it. :) And give short stories/novellas a try!

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 my website. You will have to search by clicking on the page links under the banner. Go here: Karyn Gerrard WEBSITE

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!

Karyn Gerrard, born and raised in the Maritime Provinces of Eastern Canada, now makes her home in a small town in Northwestern Ontario. When she’s not cheering on the Red Sox or travelling in the summer with her teacher husband, she writes, reads romance, and drinks copious amounts of Earl Grey tea. 

 A multi-published author, she loves to write sensual historical and contemporaries. Tortured heroes are an absolute must. As long as she can avoid being hit by a runaway moose in her wilderness paradise she assumes everything is golden. Karyn’s been happily married for a long time to her own hero. His encouragement and loving support keeps her moving forward.

“Looking for a swoon-worthy read? You can’t go wrong with the lovely and emotional romances from Karyn Gerrard.” ~Vanessa Kelly, USA Today Bestselling author 

"Karyn Gerrard writes very enjoyable, richly textured historical romances." ~Kate Pearce, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author

Karyn's Site/Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Amazon Page/Instagram/Newsletter/Bookbub