Kinley Baker's Blog

The Power of an Idea

2012-02-29T00:00:00.000-08:00

Happy February 29th!

I hope everyone has a great day today! I'm working away on edits for Ruined II, Book Two in the Shadowed Love Series. My current working title is DENIED. I can't wait to finish so I can share more details with you :-)

Please visit me today at Castles & Guns! I'm posting about The Power of an Idea.

I can't believe it's March tomorrow!

-Kinley
@kinleybaker

The Best Book I Ever Read - Romance at 30,000 Feet by Guest Author Sasha Summers

2012-02-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

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Please help me welcome Guest Author, Sasha Summers! Her story, coming soon from Crescent Moon Press, sounds fantastic! Get ready for: Medusa, A Love Story. But first, check out this great post :-)

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The Best Book I EverRead - Romance at 30,000 Feet

Sasha Summers

Thesummer of my 13^th birthday my family and I were traveling to Englandfor a few weeks. It was pretty exciting. Three teenage girls + international travel = chaos.

Anyway,in a time when DSi’s and PS2’s didn’t exist, books were a gal’s best travelingcompanion. Once we’d reached the airport I discovered I’d left mine at home! And we were going to be on the planeforever. It so wasn’t fair… After a series of put-upon and long-sufferingsighs, my father handed me five dollars and sent me to the airport bookstore.

Now, I’d already cut my romanceteeth on our large Barbara Cartland library and that was the kind of book Iwanted to find. I passed the Sweet Valley High books and V.C. Andrews weirdattic books and went straight to the rack with the ladies in pretty dresses.They were all so pretty. And the men were all… kind of shirtless. Huh… MissCartland’s books were covered in properly dressed attire. But then our flightwas called, so I had to pick.

I grabbed one, Catherine Coulter’s Night Fire.

I didn’t get to read until we werein the air. And then something strange happened. I could not close the book. And it became a little hard to breathe. Yousee, Alec and Genny did more than kiss. I remember that they did so much morethan kiss, and in such detail, that the airplane was becoming exceedingly warm.And when I reached up to turn the air vent on, my eldest sister looked at me –the way older sisters do – and then at the cover of the book. I waited. I mean, did she know the words that were on this page?And did she know what happened when you put the words together like this? What amazing, stupendous, fire-work inducingspasms of bliss could result between two people who were doing way more thankissing?

I wasn’t sure she did. But I waspretty sure that I wasn’t supposed to know these things either. Lucky for me,she turned back to her own book without saying a word.

Now let me back up a little bit.Yes, the book was… enlightening. But it was also pretty good. I liked Alec. Ilike Genny. I wanted them to be happy together. I wanted good things to happenfor them. And something else happened. Iknew I wanted to tell stories thatmade ten hour plane flights seem like ten minute plane flights. I wanted tomake people’s eyes bulge, and their hearts race, and their palms sweaty, and toreally care about the people that I created. And, lucky for me, now I do.

Medusa, A Love Story – Coming Soon from Crescent MoonPress!

BookBlurb:

It's said love can change a person. Medusa wasn't always a monster...

Medusa is ruled by duty, to her Titan father and the Goddess Athena. She'sno room for the tenderness her warrior guard, Ariston, stirs. When Olympusfrees her from service, her heart leads her into the arms of the guard sheloves... and curses her as the creature with serpent locks.

Ariston goes to war with a full heart... and dreadful foreboding. He learnstoo late of the danger Medusa faces, alone, and a Persian blade sends him intothe Underworld. But death, curses, nor the wrath of the Gods will keep him fromreturning to her.

Poseidon will use Greece's war to get what he wants: Medusa. He does notcare that she belongs to another. He does not care that she will be damned. Heis a God, an Olympian, and she will be his.

About me:

Sashais part gypsy. Her passions have always been storytelling, history, and travel.It's no surprise that her books visit times past, set in places rich withlegends and myth. Her first play, 'Greek Gods and Goddesses' (original title,right?), was written for her Girl Scout troupe. She's been writing ever since.She loves getting lost in the worlds and characters she creates; even if shefrequently forgets to run the dishwasher or wash socks when she's doing so.Luckily, her four brilliant children and hero-inspiring hubby are superunderstanding and supportive.

Mywebsite: www.sashasummers.com Twitter: @sashawrites

Medusa, A Love Story Trailer link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90fH7xoZiCo

Sasha Summers

The Best Book I Ever Read: Watery Tarts Throwing Swords by Guest Author Cindy Young-Turner

2012-02-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

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Please help me welcome a fellow Crescent Moon Press Author! Make sure to check out her amazing cover and blurb at the end of the post. Her book sounds fantastic and I've added it to my TBR list.

Welcome, Cindy!

***

The Best Book I Ever Read: Watery Tarts Throwing Swords

by: Cindy Young-Turner

Let me first say that it’s very hard to pick a “best” book because I have so many that I adore. The winner ended up being The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, which inspired me both as a reader and a writer.

I love the Arthurian legends. I started reading about King Arthur at a young age. I couldn’t get enough of the knights, the chivalry, Camelot, Merlin, and of course the tragic love story between Arthur, Guinevere, and Lancelot. I read the stories and watched the movies (Excalibur and of course Monty Python and the Holy Grail). I think I was in high school when I read The Mists of Avalon. The book blew me away. Marion Zimmer Bradley turned the Arthurian tales on their heads. It was King Arthur and many of the familiar legends I’d read so often, but told from the women’s point of view. Morgaine (or Morgan le Fey), who had been portrayed as the villain, became the heroine. The women in the story played significant roles and wielded as much power as the men.

It was fascinating to view the story from a different perspective. Marion Zimmer Bradley added so much depth to the characters (well, the book is 800+ pages!) and provided a logical explanation for why things happened the way they did. The weird Arthur-Morgaine relationship had a much better explanation in this version. I’m also interested in Celtic mythology and ancient Britain and the Druids. The idea that once the world was full of magic and mystery that has been lost over the years is echoed in a lot of fantasy stories, including my own. Don’t we all want to believe magic is possible? That the fae really do exist?

I didn’t start writing fantasy until I was in college, although I have been writing since a young age. My fantasy world is very medieval, with knights and kings and magic and a faery realm inspired by Celtic myths. Not to mention a pickpocket. My world is actually a lot darker and grittier than Camelot, but I’ve been inspired by the Arthurian legends and Marion Zimmer Bradley’s version in particular. My heroine and the other female characters are strong and find their own power even in a society where women aren’t though of as highly as men. And while there’s no love triangle, I’m interested in exploring the idea of whether a king can truly marry for love.

The Mists of Avalon opened my eyes to a new world of possibilities, and that’s what I consider great storytelling.

Kinley, thanks for having me and letting me share one of my favorite books!

Cindy

Bio and links:

Cindy has always been an avid reader and became fascinated by mythology and Arthurian legends at an early age. She quickly decided she enjoyed creating her own worlds and characters and set to work writing her own stories. At age twelve, she won her first writing contest, a local contest calling for stories written in the style of Edgar Allan Poe. Branching her interests from mythology to classic supernatural tales to medieval history and then to fantasy seemed to be a logical progression. Her fantasy novel, Thief of Hope, was published in May 2011 by Crescent Moon Press and is a 2012 EPIC eBook finalist in fantasy.

Website: http://www.cindyyoungturner.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cindy-Young-Turner/206268086074718
Twitter: AuthorCindyYT
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4882750.Cindy_Young_Turner

Blurb for Thief of Hope:

Sydney, a street urchin and pickpocket in the town of Last Hope, has managed to evade the oppressive Guild for years, but there is no escaping fate when she's sentenced to death for associating with the resistance. After she's rescued by a wizard, Sydney is forced to accept that magic-long outlawed throughout the Kingdom of Thanumor-still exists, and the Tuatha, a powerful faery folk, are much more than ancient myth and legend. When the wizard offers a chance to fight the Guild and bring Willem, bastard prince and champion of the Tuatha, to the throne, Sydney embraces the cause as a way to find her own redemption. But Sydney's fear of the Guild, distrust of authority, and surprising connection to the Tuatha threaten Willem's success. Can she untangle the strange threads that entwine her life not only to the fate of the kingdom, but also to Willem himself?

Valentine's Day Recap & Once Upon a Time

2012-02-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

This is kind of funny! On Monday I posted about Harry Potter. Then I get a surprise Valentine's gift from my husband and guess what it is? I had Joker pose because he's a much better model. Look at my brand new Harry Potter scarf! It's funny because he obviously ordered this way before I decided to post about HP, which was Sunday night :-)

Today, I'm also posting about Once Upon a Time at Castles & Guns!

Everyone have a great week. I'm currently working on edits for Ruined II.

How did you celebrate Valentine's Day? I'd love to hear about how you celebrated.

The Best Book I Ever Read – A Trip To Hogwarts

2012-02-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

TodayI want to celebrate the world of Harry Potter. I’m not going to pick one bookbecause I think the whole series deserves to be nominated for Best Book. I loveHarry Potter. I read the first book when I was young and I was able to grow upwith Harry, Ron and Hermione. For this single reason, I will always have a fondplace in my heart for these characters. A whole generation was able to grow up withthe magic of Hogwarts, and I think that is an amazing thing.

Ioften wonder if I should re-read the series now that I’m older. I have a lot ofmemories surrounding each book. I specifically remember reading the first bookand being vaguely surprised I couldn’t put it down. I wasn’t a child influencedby magic, but I was pretty fanciful. Once I read a story about a young wizardboy, I was hooked.

Iread one of the books while recovering from a surgery, trying to fight to stayawake against the drugs. It gave me comfort when I needed a distraction.

Whenthe last story released, I spent three days reading, completely ignoring myhusband who was still my boyfriend at the time. I counted down the days untilthe final release and plugged my ears to all media until I finished so the endwasn’t spoiled.

HarryPotter gave me a place to dream. I had a place to escape withamazing friends who were going through a lot of the things I was going throughmyself.

I’malso a fan of the movies because I got to grow up with the actorswho played these characters. At least, it felt like it even though I didn't know them in real life. I know opinions on the movies versus the booksdiffer widely, but I enjoyed both. I watched the first movie and thought, thisis exactly the world.

Ifully admit that when the last movie released, I was very sad because it trulyfelt like the end of an era. The books and movies were so much a part of mylife.

I’mglad there was a series that spread a little magic and encouraged us all todream. I often wonder what road I would have traveled if I hadn’t had theseinfluences from early on. I can’t imagine a life without magic and thepossibilities of fiction. So I’ll always be thankful for stories like HarryPotter. J.K. Rowling dared us all to believe.

Doyou have a series that heavily influenced a large portion of your life? Pleaseshare with us if you don’t mind! Also tell us what Harry Potter meant to you.

Nextweek, we’ll have another Guest Author! Please tune in for another exciting BestBook.

Cover Reveal for Awaited by Lynn Rush!

2012-02-07T03:00:00.000-08:00

There is a special cover reveal today! The cover for Wasteland 2: Awaited by Lynn Rush! Wasteland is a great New Adult novel and this is the next story in the series:

Cover Reveal: Awaited

Awaited

(Wasteland, #2)

Lynn Rush

Release Date: May 2012

The voice is a powerful thing…

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Russell Leonard is a centuries-old Guardian who’s lost faith in his purpose. So when he’s charged with procuring the first female Guardian in over two centuries, he can only hope it’s the red-headed beauty who’s been haunting his dreams for months. And if it is, he intends to claim her as his. But when he finds his dream woman, Annabelle is mute and bears no Guardian’s Mark.

He soon realizes she’s been tainted by an ancient evil. Russell must somehow release the secrets trapped within this delicate, mute beauty, to help her tap into the only weapon powerful enough to silence a millennia-old demon—her voice.

Add Awaited to your Goodreads to-read shelf

For more information on Lynn, visit her here: www.LynnRush.com

Thanks for visiting today to share in this special reveal.

Here is my review of Wasteland from GoodReads:

WASTELAND by Lynn Rush

Lynn Rush manages to capture the perfect voice for the New Adult genre. This is my first NA book. I used to read a lot of YA and now I pretty much only read adult. But I think Lynn managed to capture the perfect voice for in-between the age groups. I don’t think the ages in this book really matter that much. I believe there is a crucial time in a person’s life when they are forced to transition from teenager to adult. This has to be motivated from within, and I think Lynn perfectly captured the transition. Age is irrelevant as some people can stay children forever and some children become adults all too early. Reading about this time in David and Rebeka’s lives was really pretty fascinating.

But of course, you can read this book without overanalyzing it and still enjoy it immensely. The pace is fast and the characters are engaging. There were several great twists. I would recommend for YA fans of the paranormal. This story is lower in heat level but full of good tension. If you’re a fan of adult paranormal romance, I’d give New Adult a try. And I think Wasteland is the perfect novel to start with.

Have you ever read a New Adult novel? What did you think?

The Best Book I Ever Read - "Lord of the Books" by Guest Author Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

2012-02-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

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Please help me welcome Guest Author Linda Thomas-Sundstrom to the blog today!

"Lord of the Books"

Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

My favorite book of all-time isa fantasy. THE fantasy actually, and one that not only kicked my imagination into overdrive, but jump-started a desire to write that first begun when I waseight years old.

That book is a trilogy. Not one,but three deliciously imaginative and intellectual works under the title of "The Lord of the Rings" byJ.R.R. Tolkien.

I've read this trilogy seventimes, at least, and the tale grew with each reading as I matured in mytastes. I did a teaching stint at acollege on the books in an English Literature course, and became a member ofthe Mythopoeic Society, an international group of people dedicated to the studyworks by Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, so that I could hear what others had to say.Is this true fandom, or what?

To describe what made me like "The Lord of the Rings" wouldtake pages and pages. So I'll just say that it hit all my buttons of what goodstory-telling is, when one (Tolkien) is given the opportunity to explore aworld at length, over a span of decades, then make that world come to life in away that not only touches others, but actually moves others to shake up theirown worlds.

Devouring these books made mebelieve in the Other. Fey creatures were real. Hobbits were real. Wizards werereal . . . all of them coming to life because of a master's hand in craftingthem. But for me, as a reader, the highlight was the emotional punch behind thewords on the page. How real feelingswere for Tolkien's characters produced feeling in me, and gave me a love forother worlds.

I now write paranormal romance.When I turn in my next two books that are under deadline for Harlequin'sparanormal Nocturne imprint, I will have had fifteen books published. All ofthem paranormal. All of them involving humans and Other creatures meeting up.Most of them deeply expressive in terms of feelings. (I do write light tales aswell, such as my novella, "Veronicaand the Vampire"). And I owe thissuccess not only to my parents, who obviously produced a paranormal writer genein me, but to Tolkien, who paved the way for that "suspension ofdisbelief" that saw his books and others like it to rise to the all-time,world-wide best-seller lists over and over, and who inspire me all over againevery time I see the books my shelf.

Cheers-

Linda

check out my work at: http://www.lindathomas-sundstrom.com

***

Like your tales goofy sometimes?Need a chuckle at the end of your day?

Try this novella - in Linda'squirly,"girly" style. Just 99cents online !

"Veronica and the Vampire" by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

Veronica Davis is a woman with adesperate need.

If she doesn't bring a date toher big sister's wedding, the L for loser that's imprinted on her forehead willbecome permanent, as far as her family is concerned. And heck, she's started tobelieve it, herself.

Why else would a girl end up ata Los Angeles escort agency with the strange acronym V.A.M.P. Inc? Where youpick your date from a row of coffins in the agency's basement. Guys who can'tmeet you at lunch time, due to the fact that they sleep until sundown.

You know . . . . vampires.

And when she meets the unearthlyhandsome Christian Dale, the agency's odd acronym begins to take on a whole newmeaning. Tackling her sister's wedding actually starts to seem like a piece ofcake . . .

Trying to Figure Out a Tagline & Beginning a Journey

2012-02-04T12:32:00.000-08:00

SometimesI struggle with blogging and things like taglines because I think deep down Ifear I don’t really know who I am. How am I supposed to blog if I’m stilldiscovering myself, still fortifying my beliefs? I don’t want to make themistake of going off on a rant only to discover six months later that I was anidiot with little knowledge of the facts.

I’mself-critical. But then, if I didn’t grow up as the “outsider”, as the “observer”then I wouldn’t be a writer. If growing up I felt I fit in, I would have anentirely different perspective. So here I am, kind of a mess, but a betterwriter for it. *crosses fingers* But that makes writing blogs very difficult.

Andit makes finding a tagline even harder. I know I’m supposed to find a taglinethat defines my brand. I could tell you what I want to accomplish. I want towrite fantasy romance. What is fantasy romance? I pretty much consider it aromance set in an alternate realm. I like to socially construct worlds andinstitute structures of power. I like to world build. But I love romance. So Iwant to write romances, set in alternate realms, with engaging characters,complicated worlds and intense conflict. I want to enchant and provoke. Enthralland enthuse. But I won’t be doing that without producing the best possiblebooks.

SoI’ll get back to writing. I’ll blog in the pursuit of finding out who I am. I’mmuch better at writing other people than I am at analyzing myself. I only askfor a little benefit of the doubt. Trust that I’m muddying my way through theswamp of self-discovery. I will be honest, thoughtful and possibly naïve. Butthen, if I wasn’t a little bit of everything, I wouldn’t be a very effective writer.

I'll be coming up with a schedule. I already have several authors scheduled for posting about their Best Book for Mondays. The posts I've seen by the guests so far are fantastic. I'll also have a designated fantasy day. I'm thinking Wednesdays. But I haven't quite figured it out yet. I'm open to suggestions.

Thisis my long way of introducing my new tagline. After wrestling with creating ablog button, I finally finished one! I will never tell anyone how many hours the blog button construction took. Except my husband who helped me and suffered through the event.

ShareThe Spell!

Thanks for allowing me to share my new tagline.

Now I'm wondering what you've learned. Whatdo you think about blogging? Feel free to share your blog link in the comments andtell us what you hope to accomplish with your blog.

Kinley Baker

@KinleyBaker

The Best Book I Ever Read: Vampire Edition by Guest Author Lisa Kessler!

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000-08:00

Please help me welcome our very first guest to the blog for The Best Book I Ever Read! I'm so excited to have Lisa Kessler here today! Welcome, Lisa!

***

Hi everyone –

I thought this was such a cool blog series idea that Iemailed Kinley right away that I wanted to post one, so thank you to Kinley forsaying yes even thought I didn’t tell her which book I would choose. J

The best book I ever read was THE VAMPIRE LESTAT by AnneRice, because it’s the first book that made me want to write.

Let me explain what I mean. I have always been a voracious reader, but after high school, I nevermade time to write. In fact, I didn’trealize that I even wanted to write. Idropped out of college when I got pregnant with my daughter and my focusshifted to working to keep a roof over our heads.

But I always had a book in my hands.

I grew up reading Stephen King, and then branched out toDean Koontz and John Saul. The onlyfemale author I read regularly was Anne Rule who wrote true crime stories. I only mention this because it’s odd to methat it took Anne Rice to show me that women could weave a really dark twistedstory just as well as any man. (I amwoman hear me roar! LOL)

Anyway, my first taste of Anne Rice was actually TALE OF THEBODY THIEF. I grabbed a copy in anairport on my way out to a trade show for work. I devoured that book! I had neverread a vampire book before, and had no idea it was part of a series. So on the flight home I picked up a copy ofThe Vampire Lestat…

And for lack of a better word I was… *wait for it*… Bitten.

I wanted to write. Iwanted more vampires. I wanted my ownvampires. She inspired a burning desire withinme to tell stories.

For the next few years I hooked up with other Anne Rice fansand we wrote our own characters in an interactive online role-play group. I wrote so much that I filled my 1 gig harddrive with text files! *boggle*

At that point I still had no inkling I would ever be able towrite a book. They seemed too long andmonumental, but looking back, I learned so much from all the “practice” writingI did! I started carving out writingtime every single day. I researched andhoned my sentences. I learned aboutcharacter development and point of view…

And I’m not sure I ever would have started if Lestat hadn’tjumped off the page and introduced himself.

“I am the VampireLestat. I’m immortal. More or less.”

He had so much swagger that I couldn’t help but fall in lovewith the Brat Prince. I also fell inlove with first person point of view. Anne Rice was the first author I had ever read who wrote in firstperson. I lived with Lestat.

And I loved it!

Fangs, danger, blood, history, loyalty, and betrayal alllurk in the pages of The Vampire Lestat, and it was instantly The Best Book IEver Read. If you’ve never read AnneRice or the early Vampire Chronicle novels, you’re missing out on one of themost incredible anti-heroes ever!

So if you love vampire books, what was the vampire novelthat started your obsession? J Can’t wait to hear!

Lisa

Night Walker - Available now!
Across the Veil - Available now!
Website - http://lisakessler.wordpress.com
Twitter - http://twitter.com/LdyDisney
Facebook - http://facebook.com/LisaKesslerWriter

He gave up his soul for a second chance to love her...

Two and a half centuries ago, Calisto Terana lost everything when a zealous priest murdered the woman he loved. Now, desperate for another chance to love her, he wants redemption for the mistake that cost her life.

She's haunted by dreams of her own death...

After catching her fiance with another woman, Kate Bradley returns to San Diego to clear her head. The last thing she needs is romance, but after meeting Calisto she's drawn to him in ways she doesn't understand.

They've waited in the shadows for centuries...

Calisto has no doubt Kate is the reincarnation of his lost love, but the Fraternidad Del Fuego Santo has a new watcher with dark ambitions of his own. As old enemies reemerge and a new threat arises, the betrayal that enslaved Calisto to the night might destroy the only woman he's ever loved again.

The Best Book I Ever Read: Expectations in the Classics

2012-01-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

GREATEXPECTATIONS by Charles Dickens is The Best Book I Ever Read because it changedmy perspective on reading. Does anyone else remember the “AR” system? It was asystem in middle school where you read books and then had to take tests onthem. Obviously, in 8th grade I chose GREAT EXPECTATIONS because the test wasworth a lot of points. Each student had to get so many points per quarter.

Thereason this book changed my perspective on reading is because I read it startto finish. In an era when people were heavily depending on Cliff Notes, I readthe whole thing. And I liked it! I was absolutely captivated by young Pip. As athirteen year old, I didn’t have a major understanding of why GREAT EXPECTATIONSwas a classic. But I enjoyed the reading experience.

Ihaven’t read the book again since I was in middle school. And I don’t plan todo so. I don’t want to sully the memory. For the first time as a student I wasconfused why people used Cliff Notes when the story was so good. It also led meto actually read every single book ever assigned in school from that point on.I swear, when I was assigned twenty-five novels in one quarter of college, Iwas in heaven.

GREATEXPECTATIONS changed my expectations when it came to reading. My memories ofthe actual story are foggy. I’m not even sure if I remember the end. But itgave me an appreciation I didn’t have before. I read a lot of classics afterthat. But I don’t read a lot of classics anymore. Now, I read romances. It’snot because I haven’t read the classics and don’t appreciate them. It’s becausethere are amazing romance writers out there creating awesome worlds.

Asmuch as I love what Charles Dickens gave me as a young teen, it really can’tcompare to what romance authors did for me as an adult. Charles Dickens changedmy expectations regarding reading. Romance authors inspired me to write.

Doyou remember a classic book that changed your perspective on reading?

Ourfirst guest will join us on January 30^th! See you next week foranother Best Book.

Ifyou are interested in being a guest on The Best Book I Ever Read, please e-mailme at kinleybaker[at]gmail[dot]com for more information.

RUINED: Book One in the Shadowed Love Series: Now Live on ARe!

2012-01-19T13:20:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone.

I found out exciting news. RUINED, Book One in the Shadowed Love Series is now LIVE on ARe!

Check it out here: All Romance eBooks

I'm really looking forward to starting edits on Book Two: Caleb's story. His heroine is one of my favorites to date, and I love the way the story combines their two very different cultures. Right now, the working title is ROUSED. I will update you as soon as I know more information!

Oh, and I'm still scheduling out Guests for my The Best Book I Ever Read series. Please e-mail me at kinleybaker[at]gmail[dot]com for more information.

One last thing! Look at this:

I currently have a foot of frozen snow in my backyard. We rarely get snow so it's definitely been a tough week in the Pacific Northwest. I hope everyone is staying warm! What kind of weather are you having in your area? I need to hear tales of warmth.

-Kinley

New Blog Series: THE BEST BOOK I EVER READ: My First Romance

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

Welcometo my new blog series: THE BEST BOOK I EVER READ. Today we’ll be starting withmy very first romance. While I primarily read and write romances, I will beattempting to keep this blog series fair. So we’ll be flirting with all thegenres.

Thefirst best book I ever read is RISING TIDES by Nora Roberts because it is thefirst romance novel I ever read. I won’t tell you exactly how old I was when Iread it but I was a young teen. And wow, let me tell you . . . RISING TIDESrocked my world.

Atone point in the story, Ethan acts a little out of character and goes afterwhat he wants! At that moment my young teenage heart pounded faster than athundering drum. Next thing I know the hero and heroine are kissing and I’mcheering them along. Then they’re suddenly doing other stuff that went straightover my young teenage self’s head. I had no idea how to process the logistics butthe story amazed me. I knew what I needed to know. Two people had found eachother and ended happily ever after. Much better than all the books in schoolabout war, violence and death (i.e. history books).

THEN. . .

Severalyears pass . . .

AndI find romance again. I start reading like crazy! Then one day I stumble upon aNora Roberts book, I’m reading away and then BAM! Ethan takes what he wants!Huh? I asked myself. This sounds familiar . . . because it was. I read RISINGTIDES again but this time I read it in the order of the series and as an adult.I read SEA SWEPT first and saw Ethan in a whole new context. Then we got to thesex scene and I actually understood the innuendo that had gone straight over myteenage head. To be honest, if you would have asked my young self if there wassex in the book, I would have said “no”. I still find that funny.

RISINGTIDES gave hope to a young teenage girl who might have been a tad boy obsessed.But Ethan showed me that some men are worth waiting for. RISING TIDES alsoshowed me that some men are honorable when they don’t need to be, so it’s okayfor a woman to go after a man and get what she wants.

RISINGTIDES is THE BEST BOOK I EVER READ because it rocked both my young teenage mindand my adult one. It brought everything full circle and reminded me when Ifirst started out writing that, oh yeah, there’s nothing quite as satisfying asa happy ending. And it made me love books that aren’t afraid to tell the whole story, includingthe intimate moments.

Whatwas the first book you ever read that made you think THIS IS THE BEST for thefirst time?

Ifyou are interested in being a guest on THE BEST BOOK I EVER READ, please e-mailme at kinleybaker[at]gmail[dot]com for more information.

“I object!”--(For some reason this blog post reminds me of Legally Blonde… shrugs)

2012-01-12T06:11:00.000-08:00

Afew weeks ago I burst into a conversation because I simply could not helpmyself. I had an honest to goodness: I object--Legally Blonde Moment.

I’mnot much for eavesdropping, but at the day job my desk is positioned in thecenter of everything. Not only that, but there are walls surrounding me, sopeople conveniently forget that I’m there. This is fine most of the timebecause I hardly ever react to what I hear. I have perfected my office “blankface” and when I first started this job people on my team used to comment I wasremarkably even keeled, which to this day still makes my husband laugh. Justlast week a man asked me if people ever tell me to: “Just calm down!” (Sarcasm.Haha.) In reality I may in fact be the very definition of neurotic.

Butearlier this week, I couldn’t stop myself from intervening. A man was talkingabout how marriage is an “economic agreement”. I’ve heard negative viewpointson marriage before by this co-worker, but this particular phrasing literallymade me jump out of my chair. My romance bleeding heart simply could notstomach the idea that anyone could view marriage in any way other than a sacred connection between two people wholove each and don’t want to leaveeach other until death do they part!So I got up, ran all the way around my cube and said: Wait a second . . . “Iobject!”

Becausethis is where I’m coming from: I married young. And I tend to seethe world in sunshine and roses. When I have trouble keeping an upbeatperspective I read ROMANCE novels. (I read a lot of romance novels . . . Lol.) Iwant everyone to have a happy ending.This is my curse. But I’m also not naïve enough to believe that everyone getsone, let alone that everyone wants one. Some people want to be miserable, aloneand utterly grumpy. And that’s fine. (It will never be fine, but I will live with it. It’s not my life . . . notmy place to say anything.)

Butmoving along, I’m up on my high horse. After all, I’ve been married almost fouryears! I know. You’re all rolling your eyes. What do I know about marriageafter four years? Well, more than some people. (Insert socially acceptable KimKardashian joke here.)

Andjust to set everyone straight (and mainly in case the people at my officediscover my pen name and he ends up reading this post), this gentleman whocalled marriage an “economic agreement” is neither miserable, alone or grumpy.His argument was simply that you don’t marry someone and want to have childrenwith them if you don’t believe they can financially support you and that theywill uphold their end of the marriage pledge. This goes for both man and woman,including whatever agreement you’ve worked out between you. If the man is goingto be a stay-at-home dad, the woman would want to marry a man who she believeswill take good care of their children in her absence. Makes sense. This is acompletely rational argument.

Myargument was that I became engaged to my husband when I was in college. We wereengaged for quite a while before we married. At the time, I had no job. He madea little more than minimum wage. We had no idea what life would bring us, butwe decided to marry. It hurts my heart a little when I hear such an utter lackof romanticism when it comes to marrying and creating families.

Butthe biggest thing I took away from that day was not my argument. And it was nothis argument. The biggest thing I took away from that day was that I listened. Iheard his viewpoint and we reached a point in the discussion where I couldappreciate his perspective. I learned more about his outlook, which is onlygoing to help make me a better writer.

Sure,the conversation ended with notions that they, too, were optimistic at my age. ButI also made a decision. I’m no longer going to allow the prospect of what’sgoing to happen tomorrow influence my opinions and what I blog about. The worldmight very well be invaded by aliens on Friday (I’d be lying if I said I didn’tcheck my skylight in the mornings for big, clunky spaceships), but living infear of a destiny I have no control over no longer feels worth the worry. Myhappy ending might turn into a nightmare tomorrow, but I’m just going to haveto enjoy today.

Imight have horribly unhappily-ever-afters in my future. I’ll never know whatthe future brings despite the fact I write about characters who sometimes do. WhatI can control is my outlook, my perspective. And if I go into all conversationswith my ears and my mind open, I will be a broader, wiser person. So my rant ofsorts today is to embrace this new year and listen to a thought or viewpointyou don’t understand. It’s a lot harder to discover where someone else is comingfrom than to dismiss them.

The New Year Blog Hop!

2012-01-04T02:00:00.000-08:00

***

WINNER ANNOUNCED for the eBook copy of RUINED.

Congratulations, Dawn Marie Hamilton! I will be e-mailing you the copy of RUINED.

Thank you to everyone who commented! I'm overwhelmed and hope you all enjoyed the Blog Hop.

***

Happy New Year!

Celebrate 2012 by winning a FREE KINDLE FIRE or $80 to Amazon! Scroll down for Contest details!

Over 60 authors reveal their favorite New Year Memory! What does that mean for you? We are giving away gift cards, books, and other swag goodies throughout the day! Each author will chose their own winner - so that means over 50 winners! And you can win on multiple pages!

And the best thing? We have TWO Grand prizes.

First Grand Prize: a Kindle Fire!

Second Grand Prize: $80 Amazon GC!

The winners for the grand prizes can be found on any of the sites. You can go on each of the 65 pages, make a comment and be entered to win 65 times.

(One comment per person per site please.)

***

My Favorite New Year Memory

Since the early years of my childhood, New Year’s Eve has always been a quiet night at home spent with the family. I remember loving it. There was usually pizza, a good movie and fireworks (on television). Plus, I got to stay up way late. These influences from my youth heavily influenced how I celebrate New Year’s Eve now as an adult.

One of my favorite New Year’s Eve memories is actually from the most recent year, 2011. My husband and I had his family over and we played Scrabble, watched some fun things on TV and drank a few adult beverages. It was a nice relaxing night. We ate great food, watched Kathy Griffin embarrass Anderson Cooper and saw the ball drop (on television). The ladies in my family love Anderson. :-)

I think a great start to a new year is to spend it with those who matter most. I’m glad I had the opportunity to relax and not worry about being out and around town on a holiday. But then, I’m not much of a big group partier. I save all my wildness and adventures for the books I write. And the crazy adventures I do have in real life, I'll probably never write about online. Lol.

A day full of reading great books and a night spent with family is a perfect New Year's Eve to me. I know you have lots of places to hit on the Blog Hop. Keep going and good luck! I’m envious of that Kindle Fire. :-)

Question for the Comments: How did you spend New Year's Eve this year?

For more contest details, scroll down! Comment below for a chance to win three prizes!

***

My debut novel released in 2011. To celebrate I provided a little information about the first book in the Shadowed Love Series.

REVIEWS for RUINED

5 Stars and a Top Pick!

PNR 2011 Best Fantasy Nominee

"If you like fantasy with elements of historical and paranormal romances, this IS the book for you, no doubt about it! If I were incredibly rich, I would buy this book for everyone to read."

---Zenith from The Romance Reviews

For the full review CLICK HERE.

5 Fairy Kisses!

"Ruined by Kinley Baker is a fast, fun read with twists and turns, and there's not only a tortured hero, but a tortured heroine, each made for the other."

---Dottie from Tink's Place

For the full review CLICK HERE.

5 Stars!

"When I started reading the book, I couldn’t put it down . . . I truly enjoyed this novel, and look forward to books from her in the future, she definitely has made a new fan out of me."

---ParaYourNormal

For the full review CLICK HERE.

5 Fairies!

"There was some really great world building in this book. I felt myself falling for the lead characters but also the secondary ones too. I hope there will be a few more books coming out about these wonderful characters and more on the worlds they live in."

---JBP Reviews

For the full review CLICK HERE.

BLURB:

Jessa is one healing away from death. Under the thrall of her gift, the Court's Senior Healer risks giving her life in exchange for her patient's.

Vale is a rebel ruler. When his brother is killed, he's given the throne and the decree from the Court to produce an heir or lose his family's hold on the land--and his deceiving advisors aren't afraid to use murder as a weapon if their directive to stay away from the Senior Healer goes unheeded.

But Vale burns to possess Jessa. The heat between them leaves a wake of smoke, and even the powerful forces above want to bind them in a union that lasts forever. Vale taking another would be a betrayal neither could survive.

Their enemies fear a child born of such a powerful Healer and Warrior, but the true threat lies in the bond forged in shadows and fused in fire.

EXCERPT:

"You." Fury burned hot under Jessa's skin as she glared at Vale. "Who do you think you are, demanding I come live in this castle? You can't just order your guards to enter a woman's home and pack up her things."

"Well, I did." Vale came around the desk and propped one hip against it, more of a threatening than casual movement.

"Someone tried to kill me. It makes sense that I have my Healer close by."

She released a pent-up breath. "Why couldn't you have explained that instead of mandating?" Silly. Her imagination had run away with her. The king needed his Healer. But the realization he didn't want her made her angrier.

"Because I didn't want to give you the option of saying no."

She most definitely would have said no.

"If you would have explained your reasoning, I would have complied. Your safety and health come first, even if I-"

"Even if you what?"

"Loathe you." She bunched her fingers into two fists, seriously tempted to hit him. For all the nonexistent pain it would inflict upon him.

"Do you?" His tone deadened with calm. "Because I can't stop thinking about you."

"That's normal." She brushed off the claim. "I saved your life."

He moved in a blur. A true Shadow Shifter. One second he stood near his desk, the next he had her in his arms, one locked around her waist and one hand tangled in her hair. Their lips almost brushed.

"I can't stop thinking about you." His murmur played down her spine, leaving a tingling trail. His scent invaded her. His voice embraced her like bare skin against satin sheets.

Her heart beat fast, her pulse jumped.

She disliked him, but didn't want him to let her go.

"Have you been thinking about me?" His soft tone feathered over her flesh.

"Only how much I dislike you." Lust pulsed in her belly.

He pulled her head back gently by her hair, so they looked straight into each other's eyes. Their bodies pressed tightly together. "Liar."

BUY LINKS
Amazon Paperback Buy Link
Kindle Buy Link
Barnes & Noble Paperback Buy Link
NOOK Buy Link

***

CONTEST DETAILS

For a chance to be entered into the contest to win a Kindle Fire or $80 to Amazon, please comment below on how you celebrated New Year's Eve this year! Please leave your e-mail in the comments so we know how to reach you.

For the chance to win an eBook copy of RUINED, leave a comment and I'll pick a winner once the grand prize winners have been announced.

Thank you for participating in the Blog Hop! Have a great 2012!

Dear Kinley (of 12 months ago): A Warning for 2011

2012-01-02T09:40:00.000-08:00

Dear Kinley (of 12months ago),

I’m writing from thefuture. It should not shock you that this is possible. You have an overactiveimagination and I can attest that a year has made you no less crazy. But I haveto warn you. Someone has to. I can’t allow you to go through the next year withoutthe option of stopping writing now. You might want to turn around on this path.

I will list some pros and cons.

In January you will sellyour first novel. You will be driving on the freeway with your husband on theway home from your day job. You will read the e-mail, scream and almost causean accident. Your husband will glare at you for disrupting his driving, butthen it will turn into a smile because he finally understands what you’resaying.

Someone wants to BUYyour book.

HOLY COW.

You will spend money youdon’t really have on building a website and doing all those other things youdidn’t want to pay for until you had something tangible to hold onto.

You will quickly becomeoverwhelmed. Every single little thing will be a HUGE deal.

You will have your firstpanic attack when you view the first round of edits. It won’t be the last. Youwill freak out for approximately one hour. Then you’ll toughen up and get towork. You will spend hours and hours on edits. And hours. You will completelyovercompensate and send your Editor all these new “ideas”, which you’ll quicklylearn is overboard.

Your Editor will beamazing.

You will plan your blogtour and spend a lot of time doing “stuff”. I can’t define said “stuff”. Youwouldn’t believe me. Stuff = It’s just a new author’s burden.

Your book will release!You will spend hours trying to get reviewers to read it by sending reviewrequest emails. You will have no idea what you’re doing.

You will get a super,awesome, amazing review from a popular romance site that makes you cry. Someonelikes your work. They get it. They get you. You have one fan.

You will be nominatedfor Best Fantasy 2011 at said romance site. Karen Marie Moning will win in yourcategory. You don’t mind. She rocks and you own most of her books.

You will experience deepemotional crevices. In the mountain of the publishing journey, you will findyourself lost in a dark hole. The light will be ten feet up. And you’ll wonderhow the hell you’re supposed to get up there.

You will be infinitelygrateful for every single copy sold of your book.

Your husband still won’tread it.

You won’t sell anotherseries in 2011.

You will completelyrewrite Book 2, which is already contracted.

You will turn in Book 2and secretly think it’s awesome, but really have no idea if it is.

You will learn thatrejection is just around the corner. You will learn that people will dislikeyour book.

You will learn that anyBest Selling Author is a rock star. Because they went through all this andsomehow miraculously came out on the other side.

You will wishdesperately to be on the other side.

You will realize thereis no other side.

You should probably goback. The reality is that you barely survived this. You end the year on a twomonth funk and don’t do anything very productive, or at least nothing thatfeels productive. I’m warning you away from tough times.

After 2011, you start2012 with 14,000 words in your pocket and a new high concept idea. If you couldjust get it written. You start 2012 ready to roll, more thankful than ever thatanyone took the time to read a few of your words, let alone the whole book. Youstart 2012 knowing more interesting people than you knew at the beginning of 2011.Actually, you start 2012 in a pretty good place.

Maybe you shouldappreciate all that 2011 gave to you. Or I guess… I should appreciate it sinceI’m the version of us from the future. OH, so I’m writing this post to get toHERE… This is where my future persona wises up to the facts. 2011 was all worthit and a great year. I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m never going to send this letter toPast Kinley. I happen to know Past Kinley pretty well. And I know for a factshe would run.

Sincerely,

Future Kinley (Older andwiser. Although five pounds heavier. Okay, maybe ten.)

Stuff Your Stockings Blog Hop!

2011-12-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

***

WINNER ANNOUNCED

Congratulations to Cathy M! You won an eBook copy of Ruined. You'll be hearing from me by e-mail.

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest!

***

Welcome!

Today I'm celebrating the numerous blessings from 2011. I love this time of year because of the bright lights on houses and the cheerful music. There's nothing better than getting together with the family for good food and adult beverages.

To enter for a chance to win RUINED, please scroll down and leave a comment about something you'd like to find in your stocking. For more details on the contest, scroll down. Thank you for visiting my blog!

REVIEWS for RUINED

5 Stars and a Top Pick!

PNR 2011 Best Fantasy Nominee

"If you like fantasy with elements of historical and paranormal romances, this IS the book for you, no doubt about it! If I were incredibly rich, I would buy this book for everyone to read."

---Zenith from The Romance Reviews

For the full review CLICK HERE.

5 Fairy Kisses!

"Ruined by Kinley Baker is a fast, fun read with twists and turns, and there's not only a tortured hero, but a tortured heroine, each made for the other."

---Dottie from Tink's Place

For the full review CLICK HERE.

5 Stars!

"When I started reading the book, I couldn’t put it down . . . I truly enjoyed this novel, and look forward to books from her in the future, she definitely has made a new fan out of me."

---ParaYourNormal

For the full review CLICK HERE.

5 Fairies!

---JBP Reviews

For the full review CLICK HERE.

BLURB:

Jessa is one healing away from death. Under the thrall of her gift, the Court's Senior Healer risks giving her life in exchange for her patient's.

Their enemies fear a child born of such a powerful Healer and Warrior, but the true threat lies in the bond forged in shadows and fused in fire.

EXCERPT:

"Well, I did." Vale came around the desk and propped one hip against it, more of a threatening than casual movement.

"Someone tried to kill me. It makes sense that I have my Healer close by."

"Because I didn't want to give you the option of saying no."

She most definitely would have said no.

"If you would have explained your reasoning, I would have complied. Your safety and health come first, even if I-"

"Even if you what?"

"Loathe you." She bunched her fingers into two fists, seriously tempted to hit him. For all the nonexistent pain it would inflict upon him.

"Do you?" His tone deadened with calm. "Because I can't stop thinking about you."

"That's normal." She brushed off the claim. "I saved your life."

He moved in a blur. A true Shadow Shifter. One second he stood near his desk, the next he had her in his arms, one locked around her waist and one hand tangled in her hair. Their lips almost brushed.

"I can't stop thinking about you." His murmur played down her spine, leaving a tingling trail. His scent invaded her. His voice embraced her like bare skin against satin sheets.

Her heart beat fast, her pulse jumped.

She disliked him, but didn't want him to let her go.

"Have you been thinking about me?" His soft tone feathered over her flesh.

"Only how much I dislike you." Lust pulsed in her belly.

He pulled her head back gently by her hair, so they looked straight into each other's eyes. Their bodies pressed tightly together. "Liar."

***

CONTEST DETAILS

For the chance to win an eBook copy of RUINED, leave a comment including something you'd like to find in your stocking this year :-) Please leave your e-mail in the comments so I know how to reach you. I will announce the winner on December 19th!

CLICK HERE TO GO BACK TO THE BLOG HOP

Holiday Blog Hop!

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

***

WINNER ANNOUNCED:

Congratulations to Michelle, blogger name: Digital Ink! I'll be contacting you by e-mail. Thank you to everyone who entered!

***

Happy Holidays!

I'm so excited to be participating in the Holiday Blog Hop!

CONTEST: Win $10 to Amazon! Scroll down for contest details. And my confession of what I want for Christmas. (HINT: It's a wand.)

This is an exciting time of year for me because I sold my debut novel in January 2011. RUINED released in July 2011 from Crescent Moon Press and I'm looking forward to what's next in the Shadowed Love Series! Book two has a current working title of ROUSED. Caleb's story is a lot of fun and I can't wait to share it in 2012.

5 Stars and a Top Pick!

PNR 2011 Best Fantasy Nominee

"If you like fantasy with elements of historical and paranormal romances, this IS the book for you, no doubt about it! If I were incredibly rich, I would buy this book for everyone to read."
---Zenith from The Romance Reviews

For the full review CLICK HERE.

5 Fairy Kisses!

"Ruined by Kinley Baker is a fast, fun read with twists and turns, and there's not only a tortured hero, but a tortured heroine, each made for the other."
---Dottie from Tink's Place

For the full review CLICK HERE.

5 Stars!

"When I started reading the book, I couldn’t put it down. It proceeds with a series of twists and turns, that left me asking for more and looking find out how the story progressed."
---ParaYourNormal

For the full review CLICK HERE.

BLURB:

Jessa is one healing away from death. Under the thrall of her gift, the Court's Senior Healer risks giving her life in exchange for her patient's.

Their enemies fear a child born of such a powerful Healer and Warrior, but the true threat lies in the bond forged in shadows and fused in fire.

***

CONTEST DETAILS

I'm going to make a confession. I'm a huge Harry Potter fan and when I found out you can buy replicas of their wands, I went a little crazy. Lol. So the number one thing on my Holiday Wish List is Snape's Wand.

For a chance to win $10 to Amazon, write in the comments what you want for the Holidays.

I will post the winner on December 12th. Please leave your e-mail address with your comment.

***

CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO THE BLOG HOP!

Shadowed Love Series News!

2011-12-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

I have great news! The Shadowed Love Series will be back in 2012 with book two! Currently the working title is ROUSED and I'm so excited to share Caleb's story! Even though I ended up rewriting his story from scratch, I really enjoyed the process of rewriting it. Especially after discovering his heroine! I hope you'll love her as much as I do :-)

I have a Featured Interview up at The Romance Reviews for the month of December. They gave me a 5 Star Review, a Top Pick and nominated me for PNR 2011 Best Fantasy. I really appreciate their support! CLICK HERE to learn more about Jessa and Vale.

I'm also guest posting on December 6th! Please head over to The Romance Reviews Blog for the post: The Reason I Choose Romance. CLICK HERE.

Thank you for all your support in 2011! I hope you all have a fabulous Holiday Season. I have three contests coming up this month. This weekend I'll be giving away $10 to Amazon at the Blog Hop. There will be prizes the weekend after, too. Stay tuned to win!

-Kinley

The Power of a Good Book

2011-11-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

What is the definition of a good book? There are many but I’m going to throw one out today. My definition is: a good book makes the reader pick up another book. The experience was so enjoyable they want to invest their valuable time in another read. Or the experience was so terrible they buy another book because they think it can’t get any worse. Either way, the book took the person from being someone who picked up a book to a reader.

Publishing is a critical industry. Reviews for the same novel stretch from I’ll never read this author again to This is the best book ever. The same story elicits numerous reactions from a diverse group of people. But sometimes I think it’s good to take a step back and simply appreciate the value of a good book, whether you personally liked it or not.

Franchises like Twilight and Harry Potter have value because the books reminded a large group of people that they like to read. This is a huge win for all of us. The people I know who considered themselves “non-readers” were suddenly talking to me about how much they liked Twilight. Not only that, they were asking me who else they should read. Then I got to pimp out author names. Suddenly, we’re having weekly conversations at the office about books, and the only thing I’d ever talked about with these people was the weather.

Trends have the power to change people’s perspectives on novels. Most people have a reaction to the word: Twilight. Some of you are rolling your eyes. Yes, I know you’re out there. Some of you are squealing with glee because you’re a fangirl. Or fanboy. But despite the diversity of reactions, I hope you’ll take away my point. Twilight is a good book. It did good things for the industry. Stephenie Meyer has a writing ability that captivates. And she captivated a large group of people who had forgotten that words can enchant.

I think the best compliment I ever received was when someone once told me, “You made me remember how much I love to read.” It wasn’t because they read a book I wrote. I wasn’t published at the time. She simply watched me read for an hour at lunch for a full year, and it made her pick up a book. She’s a regular reader now. I love escaping into fiction so much, I’m glad I can influence people simply by picking up a book.

The Giver by Lois Lowry changed my perspective on reading. For the first time I was blown away by a story in the best way. I’ve been reading avidly ever since. Is there a good book that changed your perspective on reading?

Nominated for Best Fantasy at The Romance Reviews!

2011-11-16T19:17:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone!

I'm sharing exciting news. RUINED has been nominated by TRR reviewers for Best Paranormal Romance - Magic/Fantasy (2011) at The Romance Reviews!

Thank you to everyone who has supported RUINED. I am so thrilled and grateful for all your support!

Voting takes place here: http://www.theromancereviews.com/bookvote.php until November 30, 2011. If you've read and enjoyed RUINED, I'd really appreciate your vote.

-Kinley :-)

Winner of the Blog Hop Announced!

2011-11-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much to everyone who entered the contest to win $10 to Amazon! I have randomly selected a winner.

Congratulations Jennifer S! I will be e-mailing you today.

I really appreciate the entries, and I hope all your Halloweens rocked!

-Kinley

Bewitching Trick-or-Treat Blog Hop!

2011-10-28T00:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween Everyone!

I'm so excited to be a part of the Bewitching Trick-or-Treat Blog Hop! For CONTEST details on how to win $10 to Amazon, please scroll down!

Is there a better time than Halloween to get lost in the shadows and swept away into romance with RUINED?

---Zenith from The Romance Reviews. For full review read HERE.

***

RUINED is currently ON SALE for $5.99 at Amazon HERE until October 31,2011! Hurry and grab your copy. It is also a TOP PICK and received 5-stars from Zenith at The Romance Reviews HERE:

BLURB:

Jessa is one healing away from death. Under the thrall of her gift, the Court's Senior Healer risks giving her life in exchange for her patient's.

Their enemies fear a child born of such a powerful Healer and Warrior, but the true threat lies in the bond forged in shadows and fused in fire.

EXCERPT:

"You." Fury burned hot under Jessa's skin as she glared at Vale. "Who do you think you are, demanding I come live in this castle? You can't just order your guards to enter a woman's home and pack up her things."

"Well, I did." Vale came around the desk and propped one hip against it, more of a threatening than casual movement.

"Someone tried to kill me. It makes sense that I have my Healer close by."

She released a pent-up breath. "Why couldn't you have explained that instead of mandating?" Silly. Her imagination had run away with her. The king needed his Healer. But the realization he didn't want her made her angrier.

"Because I didn't want to give you the option of saying no."

She most definitely would have said no.

"If you would have explained your reasoning, I would have complied. Your safety and health come first, even if I-"

"Even if you what?"

"Loathe you." She bunched her fingers into two fists, seriously tempted to hit him. For all the nonexistent pain it would inflict upon him.

"Do you?" His tone deadened with calm. "Because I can't stop thinking about you."

"That's normal." She brushed off the claim. "I saved your life."

He moved in a blur. A true Shadow Shifter. One second he stood near his desk, the next he had her in his arms, one locked around her waist and one hand tangled in her hair. Their lips almost brushed.

"I can't stop thinking about you." His murmur played down her spine, leaving a tingling trail. His scent invaded her. His voice embraced her like bare skin against satin sheets.

Her heart beat fast, her pulse jumped.

She disliked him, but didn't want him to let her go.

"Have you been thinking about me?" His soft tone feathered over her flesh.

"Only how much I dislike you." Lust pulsed in her belly.

He pulled her head back gently by her hair, so they looked straight into each other's eyes. Their bodies pressed tightly together. "Liar."

***

CONTEST DETAILS

I'm still not sure if I'm going to dress up as a cowgirl or a pirate for Halloween. For a chance to win $10 to Amazon, please follow my blog and comment on what you're planning to dress up as for Halloween. "Nothing" also counts as a response :-) If you want to help me pick between my two costume choices, it won't help for the contest, but I would be thankful! I will announce the winner on November 1, 2011. Please leave your e-mail in the comments so I know how to reach you.

***

Thank you for stopping by today!

For the next stop on the hop please click here: http://dreabecraft.com/events-2/

Halloween Sale For Ruined!

2011-10-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

The holiday is almost here and to celebrate Ruined is on sale at Amazon until October 31, 2011!

Click HERE to purchase Ruined for $5.99!

Thank you for supporting the book.

Kinley :-)

WINNER ANNOUNCED

2011-10-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

The winner of the eBook copy of RUINED is

BROOKLYN ANN

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Newlywed Game - The Fantasy Edition.

Newlywed Game ~ Fantasy Edition. Win Copy of Ruined & Soul Reborn

2011-09-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

Host: Thank you for joining us today for a special treat. Jean Murray, author of Soul Reborn, is allowing her hero, Asar, and his heroine, Lilly, to challenge hero, Vale, and heroine, Jessa, from Ruined, to a game of The Newlyweds – Fantasy Edition.

****************************************

BLURB for RUINED:

Jessa is one healing away from death. Under the thrall of her gift, the Court's Senior Healer risks giving her life in exchange for her patient's.

Vale is a rebel ruler. When his brother is killed, he's given the throne and the decree from the Court to produce an heir or lose his family's hold on the land--and his deceiving advisors aren't afraid to use murder as a weapon if their directive to stay away from the Senior Healer goes unheeded.

But Vale burns to possess Jessa. The heat between them leaves a wake of smoke, and even the powerful forces above want to bind them in a union that lasts forever. Vale taking another would be a betrayal neither could survive.

Their enemies fear a child born of such a powerful Healer and Warrior, but the true threat lies in the bond forged in shadows and fused in fire.

BLURB for SOUL REBORN:

THE HUMAN REALM, HIS BATTLEFIELD.

Asar, the Egyptian God of the Underworld, has been tortured and left soulless by a malevolent goddess, relegating him to consume the very thing he was commissioned to protect. Human souls. Now an empty shell of hatred, Asar vows to kill the goddess and anyone involved in her release, but fate crosses his path with a beautiful blonde huntress who has a soul too sweet to ignore.

DEADLY SECRETS BETTER LEFT UNEARTHED.

Lilly, fearless commander of the Nehebkau huntresses, is the only things standing in the way of the goddess' undead army unleashing hell on earth. But Lilly has a secret--one she is willing to sell her soul to keep. If the Underworld god discovers her role in the dig that released the goddess, she will lose everything, including his heart.

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Host: Heroes and heroines, please tell us your names and occupations.

From Soul Reborn:

Asar: My name is Asar. I am the Egyptian god of the Underworld, Afterlife and the Dead. I judge human souls at the gates of the afterlife.

Lilly: Hi, I’m Lilly Carrigan. I command the Nehebkau huntresses. I kill revens, cursed human souls, for a living.

From Ruined:

Vale: My name is Valerian Francis. I’m the King of the Realm of Shadows. I work with the Court to keep my people, the Shadow Shifters, and my realm safe.

Jessa: Hi everyone, I’m Jessa. I’m the Senior Healer to the king. My job is to protect the king and offer my healing abilities in dire situations.

Host: Now that our readers know a little bit about you, let’s get started. Today, we are putting our heroes/heroines to the test to see how much they know about their soul mates. Each matching answer is worth 5-points. Heroines, please leave the stage, so we may ask your heroes five questions about you. Good luck.

Host: How would you complete this sentence? My wife is a natural-born ____.

Asar: My wife is a natural born killer. She deadly with her katana.

Vale: This one is easy. Healer.

Host: Complete this sentence: I knew I had found the love of my life when she _______________.

Asar: That would be when she tried to hit me. Gods, she was so angry and had every right to be. She stood up to me. The first and only person that stood up to me. I’ve never seen rage look so beautiful.

Vale: When she risked her life to save me from Shadow’s Blood, a deadly poison to our people. Someone added the potion to my wine in an attempt to kill me and steal my throne. But thanks to Jessa, I got a second chance. It was hard to stay away from her after that.

Host: Who was interested in marriage first - you or your wife?

Asar: It was me. I’ve live millions of years, and in all that time I’ve never found someone like Lilly. I would be a fool not to want to keep something so precious.

Vale: We were both interested in marriage at the same time. Unfortunately, the road wasn’t easy, but we prevailed.

Host: What one thing does your wife have too much of?

Asar: Stubbornness and weapons. I can only pick one though right? Stubbornness, definitely stubbornness. I thought I was bullheaded. Lilly has enough for both of us. But I wouldn’t change a thing, it saved my life.

Vale: She’s too giving. She’s learning to control her impulses and not put herself at risk. But with her healing gift, she’ll always instinctively want to heal above all else the moment someone is injured.

Host: When your wife was 13 years old, what did she want to be when she grew up?

Asar: Ah, I have no idea. Maybe an astrologist? She always talks about her father teaching her the constellations when they were out on archeological digs in Egypt. I know the last thing she wanted to be was a huntress. But, I’m grateful, if she wasn’t a huntress we would have never met.

Vale: Jessa never had a choice. She was always meant to be a Healer.

Host: Husbands, your wives were asked the following questions. Provide the answer you think she provided.

Host: My husband may be the world's best ______, but he may also be the world's worst ________.

Asar: Lover and loser. Losing is not an option.

Answer: Lover and loser.

Vale: This one makes me wince. I suppose she would say I’m the best king, because she’s never doubted my abilities as others have. But the worst . . . well, I’m embarrassed to admit I never courted her properly in the conventional way. I think she would say: king and courter.

Answer: My husband may be the world’s best king, but he may also be the world’s worst courter.

Vale: I love her enough to make up for that suitor disaster.

Host: How many pair of shoes does she own that are not in a closet right now?

Asar: One pair of boots. She is wearing them today.

Answer: Boots she’s wearing today.

Vale: She wears slippers, but they would all be in her dresser.

Answer: All in her dresser except for what she’s wearing.

Vale: I should have remembered she was wearing slippers today so technically they aren’t in her dresser. But when I see Jessa, I’m rarely looking at her feet.

Host: Other than your wedding day or the birth of any of your children, what one day of your marriage would she most like to experience again?

Asar: We don’t have any children. Yet. She would probably say sex in the warrior village.

Answer: The first day you said you loved her.

Asar: Are you sure she didn’t pick sex in the warrior village? I know it’s the one I would like to experience again.

Vale: The branding.

Answer: The day of the branding.

Vale: Stop looking at me in curiosity. That day was intimate and I won’t give details. Unless you read the story. It seemed like a good idea to include the scene in the book at the time.

Host: What is the oddest location you've ever shared a kiss?

Asar: In the middle of a battle at Thebes.

Answer: Battlefield in Thebes, Egypt.

Vale: There was that time in the garden when I wanted her more than I cared about the scandal. That was a first for me.

Answer: The kiss in the garden.

Vale: We didn’t actually get caught, but I did . . . *clears throat* Nevermind. That’s personal.

Host: What's the silliest thing you have ever done?

Asar: Silly? I’m not silly.

Answer: Your wife said the same thing, but did hint to one particular event. She refused to give the spooler away.

Asar: If it’s one thing Lilly is good at, it’s keeping a secret.

Vale: I think my wife would tell you it was me believing I could live without her. She’s very modest, but this is one of the things that always fires her up.

Answer: Believing he could live without me.

Vale: I’m still making it up to her.

Host: Okay, heroes, let’s take a look at the heroines’ answers to these same questions here, http://wickedromance.wordpress.com.

Host: Let’s tally our scores!

Contest Rules:

To be eligible for the drawing you must:

1. Post questions for our contestants on both blog sites. One for the heroes and one for the heroines. Please post a different question for the spouse. (Have fun with this)

2. Please leave your email in the post. (xxx(at)xyx(dot)com)

3. Questions (both sites) must be posted by Friday, September 30th, midnight (EST).

4. Two winners will be chosen for e-books. 1-Ruined; 1-Soul Reborn.

The winners names will be announced by Sunday, October 2nd, midnight (EST). Thanks again for participating. We had a great time putting this together.

Paperback of RUINED Available Now!

2011-08-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone.

The paperback of Ruined is now available: here I'm so excited because yesterday I got to hold my debut book in my hands for the first time!

Today, I'll also be at Rebecca J. Clark's blog, here, talking about my shyness and the best way to avoid small talk :-)

And check out Castles & Guns and my post here: Sometimes I Believe Too Much, which also includes a disclaimer to vampires and werewolves possibly reading.

Happy reading!
Kinley Baker

Release Party at The Romance Studio!

2011-08-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

Come party with me!

theromancestudio.com/party/

I'll be hanging out all day on August 11, 2011.

-Kinley

Guest Author Sarah Mäkelä

2011-08-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Today I have a special guest on the blog! Please help me welcome Sarah Mäkelä. Also if you're interested in winning $10 to Amazon please follow me here today. And my publisher Crescent Moon Press has been kind enough to have me on their blog, here, where I tell the terrifying tale of the Wicked Witch from the West shadow from my youth. Now, Sarah, please take it away!

Sometimes You Need a Plan

Thank you for having me back on your blog today, Kinley!

Recently, I’ve had a lot of projects going on at once. Ever since Changeling Press contracted Techno Crazed and Jungle Heat, I’ve been thrilled beyond belief and trying to do what I could to get my name out there. Within the past three and a quarter months, I’ve gone through edits on two books with another book’s edits that’ll probably be happening within a week or so. I’ve written one novella and am finishing up two others right now. Basically, I’ve felt like I’m running around like a chicken with my head cut off.

The other night, I was talking with Kinley about our plans for the rest of the year. Of course, we know nothing’s set in stone, but there’s something relaxing about figuring out your next step. It’s just like with writing a story. I don’t plot everything out, but I like to know what general direction the story needs to head in.

Of course, there are always variables when it comes to planning. I could sell a manuscript that would need my full attention and stop me from working on another story, or get massive edits which could draw my efforts from writing a story, etc. Besides, my plans at the beginning of this year were a lot different than the ones I have now, and in a darn good way too! I’d definitely be working on different stories than I am now.

Anyways, back to making a plan. Here’s a few tips for making one.

1. Know what you can do. This is important because it’s easy to say you want to write four novels in a year, or read 100 books in a year, but will you be able to realistically keep the pace needed for that? If last year you wrote one novel or read 25 books, a lofty goal like that might be setting yourself up for defeat. Go with something just challenging enough that you know you can accomplish.

2. Break your projects down into steps. If you’re going to write a novel, break it down into. Create your characters, write your outline (or whatever pre-writing planning you do), and then figure out how many words or pages you want to do each day. It’s a lot easier to think that you have to do a smaller step as opposed to picturing the big task.

3. Set a timeline. If you give yourself a timeline, then you’ll be able to keep track of your progress and know how far ahead or behind you are. I enjoy monthly goals since I can feel like I’ve really accomplished something within the allotted time. I knew that last month I needed to write Savage Bytes and turn it in to my editor, which I did. Yay!

4. Give yourself emergency time. It’s important to plan for emergencies or the days when you don’t feel you can muster the willpower to set about accomplishing what you want or need to do. If you have a little bit extra time, you have a safety net to fall back on where you don’t have to do a last minute crunch.

5. Celebrate your victories. Finish writing your outline? Treat yourself! Finish writing your novel? Break out the champagne! It’s important to reward yourself for a job well done. Writing is hard work, so having something planned for once you get done with what you’re working on can be a carrot on the days when you’re not feeling it.

What’s on your plan? Do you have any tips I missed on making planning easier?

Sarah Mäkelä
Dark Magical Encounters of Passion...
Website: www.sarahmakela.com
Blog: http://blog.sarahmakela.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/sarahmakela
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorsarahmakela

Here’s the blurb for my newest release, Jungle Heat. I hope you enjoy it! If you’re interested, the excerpt is available here.

The Amazon Rainforest still contains a few secrets. One of these secrets is a hidden village of women whose history is filled with the horror of conquering men.

Adara Rukan, princess of the Amazons, ventures away from her village to find something waiting for her. Andrei "Rei" Makarov is a weretiger and a biologist on assignment. Can Rei and Adara find love enough to bridge their two separate worlds?

Jungle Heat is available now from Changeling Press: Buy Link

RUINED is LIVE on KINDLE!

2011-07-23T11:19:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

RUINED is now live on the Kindle!

For the ebook version, visit here.

The print version will be available in a few weeks, and I'll be sure to post here when it's available.

Please head over and check out the sexy cover for the ebook. :-)

I'm so excited to share this moment with you all!

Happy reading!
Kinley

Interview

2011-07-22T11:32:00.000-07:00

Today I'm visiting Rosalie Lario. Please come over and leave a comment!

http://rosalielario.com/2011/07/22/ruinedinterview-of-author-kinley-baker/

Excerpt of Ruined, Anyone?

2011-07-20T12:19:00.000-07:00

RUINED blog tour starts today!

I'm sharing a preview of an excerpt of RUINED here:

http://patyjager.blogspot.com/2011/07/wednesday-guest-kinley-baker.html

And I'm talking about what Harry Potter really means here:

www.castlesandguns.com

Thank you!
Kinley

Preview of Book Trailer

2011-07-03T20:23:00.000-07:00

Here is the preview of RUINED's trailer! I hope you enjoy.

If you liked the trailer, please head over to Good Reads and mark RUINED as to-read :-)

Thank you!

True Blood is Back!

2011-06-26T12:46:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday! I say "happy" because I'll be traveling to New York tomorrow! :-) Despite my fear of flying and airports in general, I'm looking forward to the trip!

Next Sunday I'll be posting my trailer for RUINED.

This Sunday, I'll be watching True Blood! Personally,I'm in love with Eric. My husband isn't really that jealous because he's obsessed with Jason. The new waitress from last season freaks me out--she has bad intentions. Poor Tara. And part of me misses Franklin, crazy freak. Sam has problems. Bill is a sap. And I would choose a panther form if I could shift shapes.

Who is your favorite True Blood character?

Please Welcome Guest Author Sarah Makela!

2011-06-21T17:18:00.000-07:00

Please help me welcome a special guest today. My critique partner, Sarah Makela! I'm so excited to have you here today, Sarah! Congratulations on your new release, Techno Crazed!

Cover art link: http://bit.ly/kT6TIY

What is Cyberpunk?

Thank you for having me here today, Kinley!

As I’ve been promoting, a common question has come up. “What is Cyberpunk? I’ve never heard of that before.” But I’m willing to bet that you’re heard of some movies that portray it. The Matrix, anyone? How about Blade Runner, The Terminator, Strange Days, or 12 Monkeys? Yep! I knew it. I see the distant recognition.

Let’s look at the name, cyberpunk. It is a combination of cybernetics and punk. But what makes something a cyberpunk? There are three main elements: Setting, Protagonist, and Society/Government. I’ll try not to geek out too much as I go over them! *grins*

Setting: First of all, the base genre of cyberpunk is science fiction, so it’s no surprise that they take place in the future. Although, instead of what you normally think of with science fiction’s space travel and galaxies, a cyberpunk is placed in near-future Earth. They are post-industrial dystopias set in high-tech, very urbanized cities, more specifically in what is described by Wikipedia as “the often nihilistic underground side of an electronic society.” The world is usually dark and technology rules it.

Protagonist: The protagonist is usually a lone hero computer hacker who fights against injustice. Here is a good, precise clip from Wikipedia: “Many cyberpunk protagonists are manipulated, placed in situations where they have little or no choice, and although they might see things through, they do not necessarily come out any further ahead than they previously were. ... This emphasis on the misfits and the malcontents is the ‘punk’ component of cyberpunk.” The hero is the underdog that fights against The Megacorporation.

Society/Government: So, where is the villain? Right here. Greedy megacorporations replace the government, gathering up as much power as they can and using it for their own purposes while the government is weak politically, economically, and militarily. Also society-wise, social order has broken down to some degree.

I hope you get a better sense of what cyberpunk is now. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments section, and I’ll do the best I can to answer!

Here’s the blurb for my newest release, Techno Crazed. I hope you enjoy it! If you’re interested the excerpt is available here.

Private Investigator Hannah Franklin's life is turned upside down after being contacted by a former employee of MAX Home Security, the leader in security services. But they're not just protecting people anymore. Hannah's informant claims to have proof that MAX has ordered the assassination of politicians who stood against the corporation.

When her informant is killed and an attempt is made on her life, Hannah has no choice but to contact a freelance hacker. Her only hope now lies in the hands of a man she never expected to welcome back into her life.

Ian Bradley has lost his girlfriend and his job, as well as having acquired a very annoying gnome. Now his ex, Hannah, is in danger, and she needs his help. Ian vows to protect Hannah with every resource available to him -- and as a technomage in a high-tech world, his resources are almost endless…

If you’re interested in a chance to win a copy of Techno Crazed, make sure to sign up for my newsletter. I’ll announce the winner in it on 6/24. If you'd prefer, leave your email address in the comments, and I'd be happy to put you on the mailing list.

Techno Crazed is available now from Changeling Press!

Find Sarah on the web at:
Website: www.sarahmakela.com
Blog: http://blog.sarahmakela.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/sarahmakela
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorsarahmakela

Guest Author Rhonda Carver & Contest!

2011-06-19T19:45:00.000-07:00

Today I have a special guest on the blog. Please help me welcome Author Rhonda Carver!

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Real Men Do Stick Their Arm Up a Horse’s Bum

What better way to show a man’s good heart than have him stick his arm up a horse’s behind to save a foal. And that’s exactly what my hero, Abe Delaney, did in Delaney’s Sunrise. Abe is covered in birth goo, his arm elbow deep in the horse’s ass and my heroine, Dee, realizes how deeply in love with him she is.

Sure, this may not be your typical romantic scene where the couple is walking on the beach, holding hands and POW…the love bug hits them. Love just happens. Sometimes it strikes us so quickly, at the most awkward times that we could fall over in shock.

There is nothing sexier than watching a tough guy connect with his tender side. A real hero should never live in fear of shedding a tear or two now and again.

Five years ago, Dee Crawford's engagement to Jacob Delaney ended in death. Jacob's secrets followed him to his grave--and chased Dee from Delaney's Farm, and from his brother Abe's forbidden embrace. Yet when her own secrets send her back to Ohio and right into Abe Delaney's arms, old guilt comes to light, old passions reignite, and Jacob's secrets return to haunt them with more than just his memory. Someone in town wants Dee gone, and will do anything to stop her from uncovering the truth about her fiance's death. If Dee is to survive, she must expose Jacob's long-buried secrets...and expose her heart to Abe. Only by admitting their love can they ease the guilt that has plagued them for years. But will love be enough to save Dee when the next death on Delaney's Farm may be her own?

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EXCERPT:

Dee didn’t look at him. He couldn’t look at her, either. He’d lived with the weight of shame, embarrassment and pain for years. He’d done a good job molding those emotions into something more useful, more productive: anger. The latter was far better than sorrow. Abe had convinced himself of her faults long ago. He wouldn’t allow her to unravel him again.

“You’re not welcome here, Dee.”

She set her bottle on the floor. It fell onto its side. Beer spilled out in a foamy puddle; both ignored it.

Tension enveloped him. What would she say?

“Let’s get past that, Abe. The reality is, Jacob wanted me here. I don’t know why he did, but I trusted him.”

He smirked. “You don’t belong here. Did you change your clothes to prove a point to yourself, or just to impress me?”

One thin brow curved in challenge. “It’d make you happy to think I was trying to impress you.”

“No.” He wrinkled his nose. “No, it wouldn’t.” He dropped his feet to the floor with a thud.

“Oh, forgive me.” Her tone teetered on mockery. “You’re into engaged women, right? I’m only a single girl now.”

Her bitter words hit home, striking as hard as a blow to the gut. He rose so quickly she stumbled back. He stalked toward her. Agitated, the horses kicked at the doors of their stalls as if they shared his tension.

Her lips trembled. “Did I touch a sensitive chord?”

Chord? Hell, she’d unleashed a flood. He caught her wrist in a solid grip. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he dragged her close and bent low to her ear. “You wanna stay?” His voice was dangerously low. “Stay. But don’t cross my path, or I’ll throw your ass off my farm quicker than you can throw Jacob’s name in my face again. Ownership rights or no ownership rights, that’s my word. Got it?”

She tilted her head back and looked up at him. Her face was devoid of emotion, but the damp mist in her eyes made her a liar. “Got it,” she whispered.

He dropped her wrist and pivoted on his heel, heading for the exit.

Her shaky voice stopped him. “I know you, Abe, probably better than Jacob did. If I didn’t already realize you’re a kind man, I’d run as far away from you as I could. You’re angry and you’re feeling guilty. I know, because I feel the same. I’ve dealt with those same emotions since Jacob died. You may hate me and I don’t know if I still...if I like you much either, but we share one thing. We both lost someone we loved.”

He kept his back to her, but as the last word left her lips he nearly fled outside. Sucking in fresh air, he shoved his hands into his pockets. Damn it. Damn her.

She’d leave...eventually.

Buy Link!

About The Author:

Suffering from years of hopeless romantic notions and sexy, sassy heroines and bad-ass heroes taking up residence in her mind, Rhonda decided to write and bring the stories to life. With baby on hip and laptop on the other--and two years later--Rhonda has published five eBooks with a handful of spicy love stories waiting for the final touches.

When Rhonda isn’t crafting edge-of-your-seat, sizzling-ink novels, you will find her with her children, watching soccer, watching a breathtaking movie, doing (or trying) yoga, and finding new ways to keep her smile bright.

Rhonda thrives on making her readers happy. She believes everyone deserves romance--one page at a time…

Rhonda will be giving away a free .pdf copy of her new release, Delaney's Sunrise to one lucky person who leaves a comment below! Winner will be announced Wednesday, June 22, 2011 so you still have time to enter until then!

Update

2011-06-08T06:52:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday! I've been busy preparing for RWA Nationals at the end of the month. I'm hitting New York :-) On top of that I'm trying to finish up revisions on my current WIP. I'm excited about this story! Let's see if I can finish before NY.

I'm posting about how rejection taught me craft today at Castles & Guns: www.castlesandguns.com

I also have a pretty amazing Blog Tour scheduled for July, August, September & October. I'll be all over so I'll be sure to update the blog on where I'm visiting.

Thanks for joining me for a short update.

Kinley

WINNER ANNOUNCED

2011-06-04T16:47:00.001-07:00

WINNER ANNOUNCED for the big BLOG HOP from Crescent Moon Press.

Go HERE for the winner.

And thanks for participating, everyone. You all rock!

-Kinley

Birthday Summary

2011-05-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

You know that you're a writer when your husband buys you a coffeemaker that brews iced coffee for your birthday and you couldn't be more thrilled. Now I've got story fuel for the hot, summer months.

Thanks for the well wishes, everyone. You may be wondering: How did that day of choosing what I do work out? Well, a whole day is a little unrealistic. :-) You all probably knew that. But I watched some television and actually focused on the show, ate pizza, played pool and spent time with family. Plus, I stared at my fancy new coffeemaker for longer than necessary. Pretty perfect if you ask me.

Now, back to work.

Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend.

-Kinley

The Real Meaning of Birthdays

2011-05-27T17:04:00.000-07:00

Birthdays aren’t about presents. (Although I like presents.) Birthdays aren’t about cake. (Although I like cake. Especially cheesecake made by my mother-in-law.) Birthdays are about celebrating your life. You’re another year older, another year wiser, and you’ve gone through another year’s worth of development.

I think of life as a development process. My job description is to grow, learn and evolve. I need to go out of my way to find viewpoints that I never considered. And I need to be self-aware enough to know that I am different from every other person on the planet (and the aliens in space, the monsters in the closets and the creatures in other realms). My view is warped from what other people are thinking.

Birthdays should celebrate your warped-ness. What do you want to do in this moment? What makes you happy? On your birthday, I believe you should do whatever your answer was to those two questions. Because we all do a lot of what we don’t want to do. I live my life trying to alleviate the tensions that aren’t necessary. But I still get caught up in the stress. I still get distracted by my goals.

Birthdays are not a day for goals you’re reaching for. Birthdays are a celebration of the goals you’ve already achieved. Who matters most to you? See them on your birthday. Do you like to be alone? Be alone on your birthday. What sparks your heart to life? Your birthday is the perfect time to remember this stimulus because birthdays are dependable, happen yearly, and Facebook reminds you when yours is approaching.

All of us are self-motivated to some degree. Sometimes the degree is high and sometimes the degree is low. No matter the scale, other people get involved in our lives, creating complications that cause a wide range of emotions from happiness to sorrow.

Some people may believe that celebrating yourself is egotistical. To those people, I say: Dude. It is one day out of three-hundred-and-sixty-five days. I have statistical evidence that says it’s okay. Are you really going to label someone narcissistic if they celebrate themselves 0.2% of the year? People get so busy existing, they forget to live.

A birthday exists because it’s a celebration of life! Whoohoo! You’re alive and you survived another year. Congratulations.

And yes, tomorrow is my birthday. I’ll be spending time with my family and eating delicious food, while attempting to forget about the things I need to do later and concentrate on what I’m doing now. Because I struggle to focus on what’s really important every day. For me it’s loving family, writing entertaining and compelling stories, and being thankful for each moment I have here.

What’s the most important thing in your life?

Think of your next best birthday. How would/will you spend the day?

Crescent Moon Press Blog Tour Stop #7

2011-05-25T00:00:00.000-07:00

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WINNER OF SCRAPBOOKING 

BASKET ANNOUNCED!

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I'm choosing the contest winner of the Scrapbooking Basket a little early. Congratulations to: 

Tanya Reimer. 

Please contact me by e-mail.

The grand prize will be announced on the Crescent Moon Press Blog on June 4th. Good luck everyone!

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Welcome to the home of the Shadow Shifters, powerful beings born in darkness, formed by gods and ruled by a king. I love the romance genre almost as much as I love fantasy and the idea: If the dictionary was truly accurate, it would have no definition for impossible. 

I can boil down my devotion to writing by a mantra I crafted for this blog. I’m totally keeping this code indefinitely.

Fantasy Romance Author Code of Honor:

) Believing in fantasy opens portals and hearts.

) Laughing makes the realm a better place.

) Romance rules supreme, even over the gods.

If I can make you giggle, smile or tingle while reading, I’m doing my job. I aim to write stories about sexy men and interesting women. I enjoy writing scenes that still make me laugh after a year of editing and the ones that bring a tear to my eye. If you ever experience either, please let me know. I’m trying to convince my husband I’m actually funny, or at the very least clever. You don’t have to laugh out loud (overall feeling of amusement or even a twinge will suffice).

Thank you for visiting me today. Please enjoy RUINED. The novel will release soon from Crescent Moon Press. Scroll down for the contest details!

Give scandal a crown

& call the adventure

wickedly entertaining.

Blurb for RUINED

Jessa is one healing away from death. Under the thrall of her gift, the Court’s Senior Healer risks giving her life in exchange for her patient’s.

Vale is a rebel ruler. When his brother is killed, he’s given the throne and the decree from the Court to produce an heir or lose his family’s hold on the land——and his deceiving advisors aren’t afraid to use murder as a weapon if their directive to stay away from the Senior Healer goes unheeded.

But Vale burns to possess Jessa. The heat between them leaves a wake of smoke, and even the powerful forces above want to bind them forever. Vale taking another would be a betrayal neither could survive.

Their enemies fear a child born of such a powerful Healer and Warrior, but little do they know, the true threat lies in the bond forged in shadows and fused in fire.

STOP #7 PRIZE

Romantic Fantasy Scrapbooking Basket!

Including:

-12” X 12” Hello Beautiful Scrapbook Kit

-3” X 3” Mat Stack

-Fresh Cuts Paper Embellishments

-Letter Stencil

-20 Colorful Gel Ink Pens

-Once Upon A Time Stack 12” X 12” (48 Sheets)

-8 ½” X 11” – 10 Colors (100 Sheets Cardstock)

-Martha Stewart Tinsel Glitter

-Assorted Stickers

-CD of Creative Lettering for Windows/MAC

-Two Chalk Ink Pads (Blue & Green)

-4 ft. of Premium Ribbon

-Assorted Party Scrapbooking Papers (12 Sheets) 12” X 12”

-Black Magic 12” X 12” 20 Sheets/20 Colors

To participate in the contest, please follow my blog, and e-mail me the answer to following question:

The Shadow Shifters have four spiritual gifts, blessed from their Ancestors, which travel through their bloodlines: Warrior, Healer, Seer, and Sensitive. What are Vale and Jessa’s perspective gifts? HINT: The answer is revealed in RUINED’s blurb.

Please e-mail me the answer at kinleybaker@gmail.com. Follow my blog to qualify for the prize I’m giving away and the grand prize and include the name you're following under in your e-mail.

Crescent Moon Press Blog Tour:

***GRAND PRIZE***

KINDLE or NOOK and a dozen EBOOKS.

NEXT STEP

Travel to Lynn Rush’s awesome website at www.lynnrush.com to continue the blog tour for the chance to win the ***GRAND PRIZE***. She has a great, engaging blog and I’ve heard amazing things about her New Adult novel, WASTELAND. I can’t wait for its release! For full contest details, head over to Crescent Moon Press.

A question for fun in the comments. Have you ever fallen in love with a forbidden man or woman?

If you're interested in staying up to date on my newest releases, please visit here and join my newsletter.

Crescent Moon Press Blog Tour!

2011-05-24T13:18:00.000-07:00

I'm blogging for the big Crescent Moon Press Blog Tour tomorrow and I'm pretty excited about my Fantasy & Romance Scrapbooking Basket! :-) RUINED isn't out yet, but I've never participated in a blog tour so I'm along for the ride! Grand Prize is a Kindle or Nook & 12 free ebooks :-)

16 authors, 16 stops, 16 prizes and 16 times the fun!

Visit Crescent Moon Press (www.crescentmoonpress.com) for more information. Contest starts TODAY!

Thank you for visiting.

Kinley

Hey Strangers

2011-05-18T07:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday! It occurred to me I should provide my social media info. If you get a chance, please head over to my Facebook and Twitter:

www.Facebook.com/kinleybaker
www.Twitter.com/kinleybaker

I'm also posting today about a writing problem at Castles & Guns:

http://www.castlesandguns.com/2011/05/premature-sending-writer-affliction.html

Other than that, I sent in my second round of edits for RUINED and I'm revising a new series! Yeah :-D

Hope to see you all for the big Crescent Moon Press blog tour next week! Authors will be posting May 24th-26th. Come by for a chance to win individual author prizes and the grandprize! A nook or kindle. Your choice! Visit www.crescentmoonpress.com for more information.

Kinley :-)

Note To Self

2011-05-04T18:45:00.000-07:00

Stop blogging. Finish your second round of edits for RUINED!

Okay, okay. I'm doing it :-)

Guest Author Mimi Barbour

2011-05-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I have a special guest on the blog today :-) Please help me welcome, Mimi Barbour!

Mimi's Blog:

While I wrote my latest release “Together Again”, one of the areas in the story that I worked on the most was the conflict going on not only between the hero and heroine, but also the secondary characters. I wanted each scene to be so riveting that the reader would have a hard time putting the book down.

I’m sure every author has their own way of creating conflict, and I must say, it’s not something I have a set of rules for, or that I follow methodical steps. It’s more like a knowing I get when I’m writing each scene.

For me, I envision circumstances that will make my characters really happy. Ways to make their lives more comfortable, to bring them to a happy ending. Then I totally destroy those images by shifting everything so either the opposite happens, or something unexpected occurs to wipe the smiles off their faces. (Me bad!)

Back when I first began my writing career, I tried to rely on unbelievable situations cropping up like an unexpected earthquake (sigh!!) or an ‘out of the blue’ car accident. These things really do happen in real life, that’s true, but unless you’ve set the scene so it’s feasible for these types of conflicts to part your lovers, then it’s not convincing, and most editors can spot these weak, pitiful concepts and they don’t like them. And neither would the readers. They expect more from us, and that’s what they deserve. A well-designed set of circumstances that makes life difficult for our heroes and heroines, where they have to strive for their love to win the day, adds a lot more excitement to the story. Then the reader feels as if they’ve really gotten their money’s worth of entertainment. Once that story is finished, they go looking for whatever else they can find by that same author. (Me, me!!)

One way that helped me see more clearly how to manage discord and strife among the pages was to pay close attention to how the writers manage it for TV scripts. They don’t have the advantage we do of more pages. Everything has to be pared down so it can fit into a specific time slot. It’s true that they have the ability of using facial expressions along with dialogue, whereas we have to simple settle for descriptive words. But if their actors aren’t great, the scene can lose emphasis. Whereas we can go right into the thoughts of each person and explain their emotions. It’s a power thing – a control we have – and we need to use it well.

Apart from physical strife, which is most effective when writing a romance novel, passion is compulsory. Interrupted, thwarted, misplaced sentiment puts our players at odds and creates the exact atmosphere so necessary to give the scenes the ultimate conflict.

I’d love to hear your views on the subject so please visit with me at my website

see e-mail address on my contact page - or on Facebook

If you sign up for my newsletter, which I only send out when there’s actual news, there is a drawing most months for a winner to get a copy of my latest book.

It’s been lovely visiting with you and your friends, Kinley. Thank you for having me as a guest.

Mimi

Weekly Update

2011-04-27T08:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Wednesday! I'm currently working on my second round of edits for RUINED. I feel great about the changes and I'll feel even better in a week or two when they are submitted.

I'm posting at Castles & Guns today:

Do You Believe In Vampires? Is our job as readers and writers to believe or accept?

http://www.castlesandguns.com/2011/04/do-you-believe-in-vampires.html

Have a great week!

Kinley

Sneak Preview!

2011-04-18T06:14:00.000-07:00

My very first book cover!

RUINED is a fantasy romance, coming soon from

Crescent Moon Press

Blurb:

Jessa is one healing away from death. Under the thrall of her gift, the Court’s Senior Healer risks giving her life in exchange for her patient’s.

Vale is a rebel ruler. When his brother is killed, he’s given the throne and the decree from the Court to produce an heir or lose his family’s hold on the land——and his deceiving advisors aren’t afraid to use murder as a weapon if their directive to stay away from the Senior Healer goes unheeded.

But Vale burns to possess Jessa. The heat between them leaves a wake of smoke, and even the powerful forces above want to bind them forever. Vale taking another would be a betrayal neither could survive.

Their enemies fear a child born of such a powerful Healer and Warrior, but little do they know, the true threat lies in the bond forged in shadows and fused in fire.

Thank you so much for visiting and helping me celebrate this exciting moment!

-Kinley

A Day for Crazy - Wednesday Update

2011-04-13T08:58:00.000-07:00

It could be argued that today is a day of experimentation. Not only did I post on a theory at Castles & Guns, but I also experimented with instant coffee to make myself a cheap latte. I know. Wild, right? But I've also been humored this morning by a random mention of ninja skill which I didn't see coming, so today's Wednesday is becoming quite the day. Over the last weekend I finished a book trailer for RUINED, which I'll post on the blog in a few weeks. And I'll be revealing my book cover soon! I'm so excited to show you all.

Please here visit if you want to experiment with Characterization.

Have a great week! *cheers* to navigating the seas until Friday.

-Kinley

Happy Wednesday!

2011-04-06T07:55:00.000-07:00

It's officially halfway to Friday at 6:00 p.m., my favorite time of the week! I'm happy to report that I've started revisions on CHAINED, Book 2 of the RUINED series. I can't wait for my critique partners to read Chapter 1. :-) I like how the story has evolved.

I'm blogging today about Free Marketing Ideas at Castles & Guns:

Thanks for visiting my blog today :-)

-Kinley

I'm Still Around :-)

2011-03-30T09:59:00.000-07:00

Hello All.

I've been doing a lot of self-reflection the past two weeks. I've been taking time to reflect on where I am and where I want to go. I decided I'm going to set aside my other projects and focus in on fantasy for now. While I finish up edits for RUINED, I'm going to take a break from (working title) CHAINED (Book 2 for RUINED trilogy). Until I get the next round of edits back for RUINED, I'm going to focus on my new realm idea. It's a different brand of fantasy, but I've never had so much fun writing a book :-)

Today my Editor, Rochelle French, is visiting Castles & Guns. Check out her blog here

Have you ever started writing a story, even after completing several manuscripts, that reminds you exactly why you love to write?

-Kinley

First Round of Edits Submitted!

2011-03-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

Wow! I think submitting my manuscript after the first round of edits was more terrifying than submitting queries, partials and fulls before selling. :-D

What an amazing experience! Once I have time to fully process it, I'll write my thoughts.

I'll be getting organized over the weekend *crosses fingers* So I hope to put a plan of action into place for how I handle blogging and marketing.

Acquisitions Editor Lin Browne is with us at the Castles & Guns blog today! She is willing to answer your questions, so please stop by and visit.

Lin's Interview

Thanks for reading!

-Kinley

Editing Cave Report

2011-03-09T17:33:00.000-08:00

Good afternoon! It's been over a week since my last post. Usually I would feel guilty, but in this case, I can't regret my focus on edits. I recently went through a few rough days. Last week, I finished my line edits and then read the whole manuscript out loud. It was an interesting experience. Sometimes, I got really into it and thought "this rocks". Sometimes, I was recognizing where I overcompensated for errors.

Next, I'm going to go through and make the changes on my hard copy which I read from, then do one last pass through. My deadline is March 15th for this round, so I'm going to do as much as possible until the due date. Full steam ahead. I took a few breather days Monday and Tuesday, only doing a few hours of work. I needed a little break after the full read out loud. Overall, I'm excited. And nervous ;-)

If you haven't been over to Castles & Guns today, Donna O'Brien, Acquisitions Editor for Crescent Moon Press, has answered questions in a fantastic interview.

Donna's Interview

We've had some great comments.

For now, I'll be editing. I can't wait to write my blog posts about what I've learned. That series will probably be coming in April.

What are you up to this week?

Happy Monday - Update!

2011-02-28T07:45:00.000-08:00

Good morning! I hope you all had an easier time waking up this morning than I did.

I just wanted to post about my editing progress. I finished my world building edits. *cheers* I'm about 63/332 pages through for line edits. Then I'll do my big read outloud for a last look over. I'm hoping I'll finish line edits this week so I can tackle the last read through this weekend.

I'm also posting at Castles & Guns today about my road to contract. There was a particularly tough road block for me late last year, but I think everything worked out for the best. My advice is never give up! Not very original, but it's one of the most important things I've learned. Oh, and never stop learning. Be a sponge... you know... of knowledge.

Please visit me today at www.castlesandguns.com !

-Kinley

Dear Dictionary.com, Please Update Your Content

2011-02-24T09:13:00.000-08:00

Recently, I've been going through my first round of edits through my publisher with my wonderful editor. It's been amazing so far. I'm making changes that feel very authentic to the book. I hope. My editor may cringe at the word changes, since when she sent me a list of questions my imagination went a little overactive and I tried to add more subplots. *Grins* If there's one thing my writing definitely doesn't need, it's more subplots.

But through these edits, I've realized how much work it takes to make a book. Sure, the year I spent editing, revising and writing this manuscript took a lot of work. But the editing ballpark, the really fancy one that took tax payer money to pay for, is a whole other league.

So I looked up edit in the dictionary.

Edit: to collect, prepare, and arrange (materials) for publication.

That's their definition... I really hope "materials" doesn't mean words... because those are my precious words! How can the dictionary be so cavalier about words that I slaved over? So I've made my own definition of the word. If dictionary.com is reading this, please feel free to update your content.

Edit: If you think you know, you have no idea.

If you could create a new definition for edit, what would it be?

Does Book Humor Cross Genres?

2011-02-16T04:39:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone is having a great week. I'm starting in on my first round of edits for my fantasy romance. My brain is buzzing with ideas, and I have a feeling I may find myself in a brainstorming cave indefinitely :-) I can't promise I'll be around this week, but you may see me lurking. I'm pretty excited to get started. I'll keep you updated on my progress.

I posted today on Castles & Guns about Book Humor. This may be a figment of my imagination, but I've got some questions about humor as it relates to romance and fantasy readers. Please feel free to pop over and join us!

-Kinley

How many pairs of eyes is enough?

2011-02-12T15:52:00.000-08:00

I’m currently working on revisions for Quake. It’s a paranormal romance and the first in a series. I’ve had three critique partners and two beta readers review the first two chapters. Is that enough? In this case, I think so. I finally feel like the first two chapters are solid. My last step will be to have my mother read it. She reads four or five books a week, and it’s great to have her give it one last read through before I consider submission. Of course, all of this has only been done for the beginning. I still have the rest to go.

The first book I had others revise, I think fifteen people looked at the first few chapters, which was good because I had no idea what I was doing. Once I had a solid start and decided on my style choice, a few people read the beginning. Then my critique partner reviewed the whole thing for heavy line edits. But it was Editor Feedback that I received while submitting that truly helped the manuscript.

So I’m wondering… how many eyes is enough? Do you have a certain number of people read your drafts before you consider submission? Is there such a thing as too many critiquers?

I quickly realized while on a critique loop with lots of other people, that it was too chaotic to try to accommodate fifteen different opinions. Plus, how do you know who is right? All of this can be very difficult for a new writer. But at the same time, some of the advice people give you on those types of critique loops will be invaluable.

I’m grateful I found a critique group. The four of us complement each other. However, it took me a long time to find a group that fit. And this is technically the first manuscript where I’ve used this system, so how do I know if it's working? I think it’s solid, but will I really know until I start submitting?

What do you think? One? One hundred? How many pairs of eyes is enough?

Story Time

2011-02-07T17:07:00.000-08:00

My father and mother met in 1975 when he asked her to dance for the first time at a hip and happening club (or so I’m told). They were later married on January 29, 1977 (W.C. Field's Birthday). The fact that it was on W.C. Field's Birthday tells you a little about my mother and a little about my father. Since it was no accident, you can gauge my father is a man of humor. Since this was the day they were married, it's obvious that my mother loved him enough to oblige him.

But the real story started at that dance club in 1975. When he met her, he gave her a card, which he credits with his success. My mother gives credit for his success, but claims it was despite the card. The card went a little something like this: the front had a picture of an aardvark, his name, phone number and the title Aardvark Arcanum. The back included this original poem:

Aardvark

Aardvarks are a funny lot,

And a graceful creature he is not;

But as he roots and snoots about,

Of my captivation I have no doubt.

And why, you ask, do I give him fame?

Perhaps it is I like his name!

This poem was later published in Timeless Voices. During the same year I was writing in college. This short poem inspired me more than any other. Dreams can be small or large, complicated or simple. My father reminded me that sometimes a family story can make the best tale.

And sorry ladies... I know you'll be disappointed to hear this man is still taken.

Welcome!

2011-02-05T12:34:00.000-08:00

Thank you for visiting my new blog! This weekend I'm celebrating the launch of my website.

Please leave a comment to suggest excellent blogs I should be following.

Feel free to comment on the site!

Kinley Baker's Blog

The Power of an Idea

The Best Book I Ever Read - Romance at 30,000 Feet by Guest Author Sasha Summers

The Best Book I Ever Read: Watery Tarts Throwing Swords by Guest Author Cindy Young-Turner

Valentine's Day Recap & Once Upon a Time

The Best Book I Ever Read – A Trip To Hogwarts

Cover Reveal for Awaited by Lynn Rush!

The Best Book I Ever Read - "Lord of the Books" by Guest Author Linda Thomas-Sundstrom

Trying to Figure Out a Tagline & Beginning a Journey

The Best Book I Ever Read: Vampire Edition by Guest Author Lisa Kessler!

The Best Book I Ever Read: Expectations in the Classics

RUINED: Book One in the Shadowed Love Series: Now Live on ARe!

New Blog Series: THE BEST BOOK I EVER READ: My First Romance

“I object!”--(For some reason this blog post reminds me of Legally Blonde… *shrugs*)

The New Year Blog Hop!

Dear Kinley (of 12 months ago): A Warning for 2011

Stuff Your Stockings Blog Hop!

Holiday Blog Hop!

Shadowed Love Series News!

The Power of a Good Book

Nominated for Best Fantasy at The Romance Reviews!

Winner of the Blog Hop Announced!

Bewitching Trick-or-Treat Blog Hop!

Halloween Sale For Ruined!

WINNER ANNOUNCED

Newlywed Game ~ Fantasy Edition. Win Copy of Ruined & Soul Reborn

Paperback of RUINED Available Now!

Release Party at The Romance Studio!

Guest Author Sarah Mäkelä

RUINED is LIVE on KINDLE!

Interview

Excerpt of Ruined, Anyone?

Preview of Book Trailer

True Blood is Back!

Please Welcome Guest Author Sarah Makela!

Guest Author Rhonda Carver & Contest!

Update

WINNER ANNOUNCED

Birthday Summary

The Real Meaning of Birthdays

Crescent Moon Press Blog Tour Stop #7

Crescent Moon Press Blog Tour!

Hey Strangers

Note To Self

Guest Author Mimi Barbour

Mimi

Weekly Update

Sneak Preview!

A Day for Crazy - Wednesday Update

Happy Wednesday!

I'm Still Around :-)

First Round of Edits Submitted!

Editing Cave Report

Happy Monday - Update!

Dear Dictionary.com, Please Update Your Content

Does Book Humor Cross Genres?

How many pairs of eyes is enough?

Story Time

Welcome!

“I object!”--(For some reason this blog post reminds me of Legally Blonde… shrugs)