My Sister is Always Right by @KaraONealAuthor #RomanceGems

Happy anniversary to me! One year ago I joined Romance Gems, and it has been wonderful. I've learned so much and read so many amazing books that I feel like I hit the jackpot when I found these ladies!

This mark has also brought up memories about how I started this writing journey. Seven years ago this month I received my first publishing contract. And I can't even begin to tell you how happy and awed I was!

Happy, because someone liked my book, and awed because...well...

I had written a book. Me.

And it was all thanks to my sister.

My daughter                 My sister

I have always been an avid reader. I would pick up just about anything. (Except horror! I would have nightmares.)

After years and years of reading, of staying up late and telling myself, "Just one more chapter.", I got pretty picky and critical about the direction of a story. And if it didn't have a happy ending, what was the point?

One day I finished a book, and as I huffed and puffed about how it had worked out, showing my irritation with how an author could do such a thing, my sister said in her most matter-of-fact, quit-your-whining, fictional-characters-aren't-real tone, "Write your own ending.".

Well, that shut me up and opened up a whole new world for me. Thank God for sisters. They call you on your annoying habits and show you what you can really be if you put your mind to it.

And now I'm blogging and working with some of the best writers I've ever had the pleasure to know and read.

Romance has been in "bloom" for me for the last seven years, and it always will be!

Some of you might remember that I was orphaned by my publisher, and now I'm navigating the world of self-publishing. I'm happy to say that I'm about to put book 1, Welcome Home, onto the seller sites! Yay!

It's been an interesting journey, but so worth it! And if I hadn't found the ladies at Romance Gems, I might still be wallowing in despair at being "orphaned". (Anne Shirley would so sympathize with me!)

Thank you so much for joining us each day, and remember to enter our May giveaway! To enter, click here.

A New Cover For A New Path by @KaraONealAuthor #RomanceGems

Y'all...

I love my husband. I married a cross between Jim Halpert, Mr. Darcy and Captain America. And that is quite a mixture, let me tell you. 

Oh, and he's a graphic designer turned art teacher.

He's my prince charming. I would soooo go into a sleeping curse or get locked in a tower just so he could save me. That would not be a hardship. I wouldn't even be scared.

He's my hero, and he's helping me save my books...

I told y'all in my last post that my publisher went out of business and that I've started the process of self-publishing. That means I need to design covers. Oh, joy!

But lucky me, I married an artist!



The prelude, Saving Sarah, has been re-published and is now available. And I couldn't have done it without my husband. He designed the cover.

I'm very excited about this because each book in the series is going to have a similar look. Each of my heroines reminds me of a particular flower and this is going to be featured on the covers.

The Dogwood Tree blooms flowers of a variety of colors, but I prefer the white. The petals are delicate and are a special symbol of the crucifixion of Christ. They grow in many places in the U.S., and they have always been a favorite of mine. I love the legend behind this tree. Its beautiful story is why I chose this flower as the one to represent my brave heroine, Sarah.

And coincidentally, Saving Sarah takes place in North Carolina, and the Dogwood Tree just happens to be their state flower. Weird, huh?

This cover is a beautiful representation of elements of the book. I'm so lucky I have such talented husband.




Here is the PERFECT and LOVELY cover!!!!!

About Saving Sarah:

Sarah Kerry's world is shattered when a man from her past, Liam Devlin, shows up with proof that, if shared, would send her father to the noose. In order to keep Liam quiet, she must break her young courtship with Michael Lonnigan and marry Liam instead.

Michael is crushed and angry when Sarah abruptly ends their courtship, but he knows something isn't right. He's seen the new man hanging around the Kerry family and believes the man is blackmailing the woman Michael loves. Unwilling to let her go, Michael will do whatever it takes to save Sarah and make her his own.

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A New Path by @KaraONealAuthor #RomanceGems

On February 29th, my publisher announced it would be closing its doors. The following day all my books -- 13 in all -- would be taken down from all sellers' sites.

Yikes.

I did a lot of tossing and turning that night. There were tears. Thoughts of quitting.

But then I reached out to my family, friends and fellow authors and found that my writing doesn't have to stop. I am now navigating the scary path of self-publishing. Double yikes!

But I am excited. It's something to look forward to. I'm learning new things and enjoying that I have ALL the control. That's pretty heady. And nice.

After a few days of uncertainty, I'm grateful I have a plan and that I'm anticipating the opportunity. I hope to have my books back up soon, and my new release, The Inventor's Heart, is ready to go!

Wish me luck!

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Labors of Love by @KaraONealAuthor #RomanceGems

We've started 2020, which means in one more year I'll be sending my second child off to college.

It might seem like I still have time, but the truth is, it's going to go faster than I'm prepared for. My oldest is currently in college, majoring in Music Education, and I felt like I blinked and she was gone.

When children decide where they want to go, and what they want to do, it's so exciting. I love watching my daughter and sons grow up and become their own person. It's a beautiful privilege. I'm grateful and anticipate the years to come.

But it's also sad. Soon my home will not be the center of their world, and I have to adjust to that. I think I'm doing a good job. I hardly ever cry, but I sure do hug them a lot. Thankfully, they're sweet and indulge me.

At Romance Gems we're asking WHAT'S NEXT for everyone, and my "next" is helping my son prepare for the SAT. I've got to dust off my study skills and hone my ability to think differently. (I'm not looking forward to it.) But I love him, and I will labor right alongside him.

Sending children off to college leaves one with so many emotions and much hope for the future. I believe my husband and I have raised kids who will contribute well to our world.

My children! My 7th grader is on the left. My freshman in college is in the middle. And my upcoming Senior is on the right.

You know, it's funny. As I write this, I realize that the book I'm currently editing is about a son who returns from college after a five year absence to a family who is equal parts overjoyed to see him, and equal parts sad he had to be gone so long. It's interesting how what I'm writing sometimes mirrors what I'm currently going through.

The book is called The Inventor's Heart. It doesn't have a release date yet or a cover, so I can't share it with you yet. But it's book 13 in my series, and Alex and Julia are in many other books. They are members of my core families, so they've made several appearances in earlier stories.

I'm looking forward to this book hitting the shelves. Julia has Dyslexia and Alex is a genius. This creates conflict for the characters, and Alex has to work hard to prove to Julia that she's as brilliant as he is. I enjoyed writing this story. Helping Julia feel worthy became a labor of love for me. I'm a Special Education teacher, and I wanted to write a romance with a character who had to overcome similar obstacles as some of my students. This book has brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion.

I can share an excerpt with you, though:

“I’m…stupid, Alex.”

His eyes flashed.

“I am.”

Thunder appeared on his face. “You. Are. Not. Stupid.”

“Yes, I—”

He clutched her shoulders. “No,” he ground out, anger sizzling from him in waves.

But his forceful reply couldn’t change what was. She eased out of his hold and stood, putting the chair between them. “You’re so smart. What you can do boggles my mind, and you need a wife who can be your partner in all ways.”

Alarm slashed across his face, and he went rigid. “What do you mean?”

She gestured toward his designs on the wall. “I can’t help you with your work, and I’ll probably cause you trouble if I try. You need someone who can walk with you, support you and help…broaden your reach.” She shook her head. “That’s not me. I wouldn’t even know where to start."

Pain grew in each line of his face. “With me. You start with me. You be Julia. That’s all I need.”

To read any other books in my series, click here.

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