Tag: contemporary romance

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Jenny on the BLOCKED! New #College #Volleyball #Release 10/21/14

Jennifer Lane

I started writing Blocked over a year ago, and release day is finally HERE.

Cover Design by Coreen Montagna

Want to win stuff? Attend these events to win books, gift cards, cookies, and bookmarks!

FACEBOOK Party Tuesday 10/21 11:00 – 3:00 EST HERE

AToMR Tours Release Event with over 30 blogs participating. Enter the giveaway HERE.

Blocked Review Tour, including another giveaway, HERE.

Add Blocked to your Goodreads shelf.

And find Blocked on Amazon.

Lastly, if you’re near Cincinnati, Ohio this weekend, stop by the Queen City Indie Con where I’ll sign books and give away Blocked cookies and Streamline swim caps.


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Spooktacular #Giveaway Hop

Jennifer Lane

Thanks to Kathy for hosting the 5th Annual Spooktacular Giveaway Hop!



Halloween is a fun time, and it’s even more exciting for me due to the release of my college volleyball romance BLOCKED available for pre-order HERE.

I’ll offer more Amazon gift cards HERE for the release event and review tour.

Today I’m giving away a $10 Amazon gift card, Blocked ebook, and Blocked bookmarks so you can have abs, abs, abs for yourself. Enter on the Rafflecopter.


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Now hop on over to these 300 participating blogs and win great stuff!

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Excerpt from #College #Volleyball #Romance BLOCKED

Jennifer Lane


Only one week till the release of BLOCKED on 10-21-14. We hope to have it up for pre-order soon.

Until then, here’s an excerpt from Dane’s point of view.

I was just about to slurp the leftover milk from my second bowl of cereal when Lucia entered the kitchen. With my bowl suspended in midair, I watched her stop in place once she saw me.
Shit. So much for avoiding her after my beer-goggle kiss a week ago. The girl confused the hell out of me. I’d hoped some time away from her would clarify things, but given the uptick of my heartbeat when she strolled in the room, that obviously hadn’t happened.
As I set my bowl back on the table, my eyes floated from her flushed face to the slogan on her hot-pink T-shirt:

I grinned. Thank God guys don’t have to wear Spandex. When she turned to leave, I caught a glimpse of the luscious curve of her bottom. And thank God girl players do.
“Wait, don’t go.” Why did I just say that?
She pivoted and nailed me with her suspicious gaze. “What?”
Feeling unnerved, I gestured toward the open box of cereal on the table. “Want some dinner? You don’t have to leave on my account.”
She stared at the cereal for a few moments. At first she seemed to give the box a longing look, like she’d discovered a deep cache of oil on a barren stretch of land. Then her eyes tightened into the same hostile look I’d seen so many times on her father. Despite this, I noticed dark hollows beneath her eyes and felt a smidgen of concern for her. That level of exhaustion typically didn’t occur until later in the season, when Holter’s constant demands would inevitably wear down the girl’s team.
“I’m not hungry,” she finally said.
“But you haven’t eaten anything.”
She glanced up from the box of cereal with wide eyes. “Yes, yes, I have.”
When she stepped away from me, I took my time getting to my feet in an effort to avoid scaring her away. “Then why’d you come to the kitchen?”
“I…” Her eyes darted around the modern appliances. She backed up until her butt brushed the counter, which one hand gripped with white knuckles. “I came to get a drink.”
Why did she look so tortured? “Oh.” I shrugged. “I’ll get it for you.”
“No—”
I made it to the fridge in two strides and opened the door. “What’d you want? We’ve got cranberry juice, orange juice, Coke…hey, there’s even some beer hidden back here — ”
“Water,” she said. I backed out of the shelf and straightened, wondering if I’d heard her correctly. “Just ice water.”
“That’s kind of boring.” I crossed over to the cabinet and snatched a glass from the shelf, then returned to the refrigerator door to fill it with crushed ice and filtered water. “Here ya go.”
She hesitated as she studied the drink in my outstretched hand. “Relax. It’s not poisoned.” I grinned at her.
She grasped the glass. Her hand trembled as she took a sip. “Why are you being nice to me?”
Man, she had trust issues. All I did was get her a freaking glass of water! I performed a little bow and adopted an English accent. “The setter is here to serve the hitter, milady.”
Was that a hint of a smile? The subtle quirk of one corner of her mouth filled me with warmth, and I realized that was the first time I’d seen her even come close to a smile. Esa chica needed to learn how to chill if she wanted to last as a Highbanks varsity athlete. She set down her glass and seemed to take a deep breath.
“Have you always been a setter?”

Her question made me pause. Why does she want to know? “Yep.”
“Why?”

I need to be in charge. “I like being the leader of the team.”
“Kind of tall for a setter, aren’t you?”
Wow. Mute Girl actually engaged me in conversation? I watched her gaze linger at my feet and slowly sweep up my body. I stared right back at her, trying to figure out what she found so fascinating. When our eyes met, it took a second to register what was going on. Damn! She had just ogled me. Having her eyes roam over my body…I had to admit it felt pretty great. I winked at her, and a pretty, rose-colored blush crept up her neck a second before she looked away.
~*~
Don’t forget to enter the Goodreads giveaway HERE. You can also win muchos prizes at the Blocked Release party on Facebook 10-21-14 from 11:00-3:00 EST.

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New Release: A Little Faith by Emma James

Jennifer Lane

Title: A Little Faith
Series: Ocean Beach #1
Author: Emma James
 Release Date: October 9, 2014

Synopsis
I had no idea a carefree island vacation would tear my life apart.

But now it’s time to put my walls up, make them impenetrable.

It’s the only way to survive.

~Faith

 
Six Years Later…

Harley, the protector. Retro, the straight shooter. 

Keanu, the funny bone. Levi, the model. And Text, who can’t seem to find himself.

All their lives were permanently altered by one event.

With a pact made, these five best friends need something from Faith.

Is she ready now to give them what they have been waiting for?

Join Faith as she goes on an emotional and heartwarming discovery where all may not be what it seems.

But with every ending, comes a new beginning, a second chance.

You just gotta have A Little Faith…

Welcome to Ocean Beach.

Links to Buy

AMAZON
US / UK / AU

Book Trailer
Playlist

Excerpt
“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.”
– Bob Marley

It’s a hot and humid night. We’re all looking forward to a beer and some nightlife as we take the short walk from our hotel to the Coconut Club.
At this time of the year, the island is packed with tourists from all over the world. This means lots of beautiful girls in their tiny bikinis with a tan and a smile and everybody looking to have a good time.
Only ten days into our two week surfing vacation with my friends, I’ve been having the time of my life. We’ve met some great locals who have entrusted us with their secret surfing spots, which they keep on the down-low. These are theirplaces to surf, not to be overrun by tourists.
The surf has been awesome. We’ve ridden alongside the locals, our boards attached to our motorcycles as we follow them through the hustle and bustle of the crazy traffic. I shit you not, it almost appears like there are no road rules over here. It’s like dodge ball with motorcycles. It’s been a hell of a lot of fun taking the bikes to the streets, weaving through the ridiculous traffic, honking our horns—quite the adrenaline ride.
Once we make it out of the shit storm of traffic and get on the quieter roads around the island, we’re able to put the pedal to the metal and enjoy the scenery.
Fan-fucking-tastic!
Just don’t fucking crash has been our motto because the hospital service isn’t that great over here. You don’t want to wind up in it.
Since Faith would’ve loved to see some of the places we’ve been to and photograph them, Jase brought his camera and saved some of these memories for her. I can’t help thinking he has an interest in my sister. But Jase is a great guy, so I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
The locals have showed us the clubs and bars to check out. We know they receive commission for pointing us in the direction of certain places, but these guys don’t have the same opportunities we have been given in life, so why not help a guy out?
The food has been awesome. Keanu only got the shits for a few days—we did warn him about the water. We could smell him from across the hallway, making me glad I wasn’t sharing a room with Keanu. Levi got the short straw for those few days.
We’ve sat on the beach at night while Keanu, Levi, and Jase sang and strummed their guitars, entertaining a small crowd that gathered each evening while the sun sets. It’s a pretty awesome way to watch the sun go down if you ask me. This has been such a great trip.
After four years of college, we all just graduated and decided to take this trip as a gift to ourselves for summer break. We’ve all got stuff we have applied for or are in the process of locking down when we get home except for Jase, who is the youngest in the group and our friend Harley’s younger brother. He wanted to come along, so this is his vacation before he starts college.
We weren’t stupid; we all knew life was getting more serious and we were entering the next phase. We have our futures ahead of ourselves, yet who knew when we would be able to all get together and do this again? My only regret is Harley couldn’t make the trip.
He is moving ahead with his dream of owning a business—his college years were more about a backup plan. The guy is so smart. He plans way ahead. Out of all of us, he’s got his shit together the most. He landed himself a job that he couldn’t pass up. The boy is thinking big and has always been like that. He sees his future of owning a security business empire like a blueprint in his mind. I know he will make it happen, as well. He’s just that kind of guy.
Fuck, I love all these guys. My friends mean the world to me, and I would do anything for them.
Any-fucking-thing they asked of me.
The guys are all completely different. Well, maybe with the exception of Keanu and Levi. Those two are hilarious without trying and have this bond which glues them together. They have such a bromance going on that they will be friends for life. Nothing will get between them. They are brothers from another mother, through and through. Although, we all get along incredibly well.
Keanu and Levi have been spreading themselves among the ladies, while Retro seems happy enough just surfing, eating, and drinking. He’s got a lady on his mind back home, so he’s just letting his free spirit enjoy the waves and soak up the atmosphere.
I’ve been keeping a subtle eye on Jase; he’s been throwing back a few beers. The chicks love his blonde hair and mismatched blue and brown eyes. At eighteen, he isn’t technically underage here, only back home; as a result, he’s enjoying it while it lasts. I promised Harley, his brother, I would have his back and not let him get too out of control, and so far, he’s only thrown up like the exorcist one night. I think that helped cure him of hitting it too hard for a few more days. The waves are more important than getting totally wasted and not being able to surf anyways.
We enter the Coconut Club and make our way to a high-top table with the stools. This place is starting to fill up. The DJ is playing loud techno, and the club is pumping with bodies on the dance floor moving in sync.
Retro offers to buy the first round and takes off to the bar before it gets too busy and you wind up waiting to be served for ages.
Levi and Keanu are already scouting the club for hot chicks, talking in each other’s ear, being each other’s wingman. The next second, they are both shouting, “Challenge. Accepted!” and bumping fists. I roll my eyes. They do this every night once they have locked down their female prey. The girls are here to party, looking for a good time, and these two aim to please.
The tourists are all in party mode on the island. Inhibitions are left at the door. After what I have seen, I don’t think I will be letting my future daughter ever come on a vacation for summer break until she is at least thirty.
Hell. No.
Jase has already been spotted by a group of girls who are all giggling and pointing at him. I can’t help feeling proud of him. He was somewhat of a geek at school and I suppose Harley and my boys rubbed off on him. Now he’s buff and enjoying the female attention. His blonde hair and striking mismatched eyes make him stand out from the crowd.
We are all a pretty good looking bunch. We look after ourselves, and we hit up a fair bit of extreme sports. It keeps us fit. We aren’t the indoorsy type. We study hard, but we play hard, too.
One day, all this carefree stuff will have to be locked down, but at the moment, we are young and single and generally don’t do anything by halves.
It’s all or nothing.

Author Bio

Emma James lives in Queensland, Australia with her smexi husband, three children and a big black Labrador. Life is busy and most entertaining in the James household. She often bounces ideas off her family and gets very creative responses. She loves to read as much as write. Daytime for writing, night time for reading.

Emma hopes to surprise you with her debut book, A Little Faith.

Author Links
Giveaway
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Blocked Excerpt #NA #Volleyball #Romance

Jennifer Lane


Only two weeks till the release of Blocked on 10-21-14.


Here’s an excerpt from Chapter 3:

“Ladies!” Coach boomed as he stormed away from the men’s coach. “We’re taking over the gym. We’ve got priority here. Madison, get us started on warm-up.”

Maddie ran to the net, and when my teammates followed her, I jogged over too. I snuck a glance at Dane to find him positively murdering me with those eyes. Oops. He was mad at me again? How was it my fault our practice times got messed up?

A male voice boomed, “Hold it!” and I halted mid-step. I turned to see Dane point at the gym floor in front of me a second before he loped over, clutching his towel. Would he strangle me with it? My eyes darted to Allison at the sideline, but my Secret Service agent didn’t seem to be on alert. I braced myself as he neared, but my fear turned to surprise when he dropped to the floor and wiped it with his towel.

“Close your mouth, Ramirez,” he said as he popped back up and stood inches from me. How does he smell so yummy despite his soaked shirt? It was a manly scent, tinged with some sort of aftershave. “I sweat like a cow.” His angular body towered over me. Not a bovine in sight.

His eyebrows knitted together as I stared up at him. His eyes were so pretty, so deep. “I didn’t want you to fall and break your ankle,” he continued. “At least not because of me.” His insult barely registered over the blood rushing in my ears. When I continued to stand mute in his presence, his head tilted. “I know you can speak…” One corner of his mouth perked up. “You’re not going to call me bitch again, are you?”

When I finally wrestled my gaze from his face, I noticed everyone in the gym watching us. I tried to swallow, but my throat was dry.

“Thanks, Dane,” Maddie said as she gestured for me to join the team for warm-ups. She turned around, jumped to block at one end of the net, shuffled over a few steps, and jumped again. She had an awesome vertical leap, and I watched Nina and the other teammates follow her lead.

I looked back at Dane. Say something, idiota. “I don’t know…do you deserve to be called bitch again?” I backpedaled toward the net so he wouldn’t get me in trouble with Coach this time.

“I deserve only kindness and affection.” He smirked.



Don’t forget to enter the Goodreads giveaway for two signed print copies of Blocked! See the right sidebar.
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Cover Reveal: The Jeweler by Beck Anderson

Jennifer Lane



SUMMARY

Fender Barnes profits from an institution he doesn’t believe in: marriage. He’s a talented designer, but a reluctant jewelry store owner, thanks to his pop’s retirement. He’s cynical, he’s jaded, he’s not entirely certain about the concept of love, but he’s happy to sell an eager young guy an engagement ring for his fiancée to be—until moments after the transaction when that eager guy is hit by a car and killed, and Fender’s conscience pays a rare visit.

He retrieves the ring and decides to find the woman his customer intended to marry. That woman turns out to be Ginger Stevens, twenty-something ski instructor, who—despite being full of guilt and self-doubt after the death of her boyfriend—is someone Fender finds he quite enjoys being around. He’s smitten.

Which is all well and good, except that after he meets her, Fender can’t do it. Though it’s right there in his pocket, he can’t tell her about the ring. Instead, he embarks on a long, ridiculous quest to find a way to tell her the truth he knows she deserves. Aided by advice from Pop and the antics of his best friend Sam, Fender tries desperately to juggle his budding romance with the reality he knows could ruin it.

Will he find love or foul it up? Can Ginger move out of the past to embrace what the future has to offer? Meet this unlikely pair in Beck Anderson’s heartfelt and fabulously funny second novel, The Jeweler.


AUTHOR LINKS

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7178862.Beck_Anderson

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Beck-Anderson/e/B00F4KQIDE

BN http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fix-you-beck-anderson/1116856190?ean=9781623420475


Site http://www.authorbeck.com/

Twitter http://www.twitter.com/BeckAndersonID 

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/beckandersonauthor

AUTHOR BIO

Beck Anderson believes in the power of perfectly imperfect women and in the healing power of love. Her first novel, Fix You, grew out of those beliefs and the time to write afforded by the worst Thanksgiving blizzard she’s ever witnessed in West Yellowstone.

Beck balances (clumsily at best) writing novels and screenplays, working full-time as an educator, mothering two pre-teen males, loving one post-40 husband, and making time to walk the foothills of Boise, Idaho, with Stefano DiMera Delfino Anderson, the suavest Chihuahua north of the border.


~*~

Wow! I LOVE that cover. You must see this Chihuahua Stefano. The name is hilarious! And I loved Beck’s debut novel Fix You–see my five star review HERE.

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#IWSG: To Series or Not To Series

Jennifer Lane


Thanks to author ninja Alex Cavanaugh for his brainchild:


I want to hear your experiences with writing series. Love ’em? Hate ’em?

I have written one stand-alone New Adult sports romance and one romantic suspense trilogy. I’m considering turning my upcoming NA volleyball romance Blocked into a series.

So I have some writerly questions for you, in my deliberations. Feel free to answer none, one, or more!

1. Do you prefer to read stand-alone novels or series? Why?

2. Have you ever written a series (or plan to write one)? If so, when in the process did you realize you wanted to write a series?

3. If you like series, do you prefer the same characters as protagonists or new main characters featuring “spin-offs” in subsequent novels?

4. How do you decide to write a stand-alone or a series?

5. How many books are ideal for a series? When does a series get too long for you?

THANK YOU! Write on, my friends.

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#Giveaway of Hydraulic Level 5 and Skygods by Sarah Latchaw

Jennifer Lane

I’m stoked for the release of SKYGODS (Hydraulic #2) by the gorgeous Sarah Latchaw. Check out her blog HERE.


I loved HYDRAULIC LEVEL FIVE (Hydraulic #1)–see my 5 star review HERE.


What stunning covers!

*******Giveaway*******


Wanna enter to win these excellent reads? Leave a comment with your email address. You can comment about these books or answer this question:

How likely is it for a divorced couple to rekindle their romance?

Giveaway ends 9/2/14.

Sarah Latchaw was raised in eastern Iowa and appreciates beauty in mud-splattered gravel roads and fields. She also loves to explore far-away places, thanks to countless family minivan trips across the States. This passion for finding stories led to college adventures in many different countries, and each place’s story rests in the back of her mind and in her photo albums.
Sarah received her BA from Wartburg College in public relations and media, and entered the workforce, ready to climb the ladder. However, when researching MBA applications evoked feelings of dread, with the loving support of her husband, she pursued a career in creative writing and was awarded her MA from Iowa State University.
These days, Sarah wakes every morning thrilled to cuddle her small children, show them the world, then capture that world and shape it into stories on paper. She is not thrilled when she wakes to her cats smothering her face. She and her family reside in Des Moines, Iowa—one of the best places to live and work.
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Cover Reveal and #Giveaway for Blocked by Jennifer Lane #NA #Sports #Romance

Jennifer Lane

I’m excited to share the cover for my New Adult volleyball romance:

New Adult Contemporary/Sports Romance

Releasing October 21, 2014

College freshman Lucia Ramirez has a secret crush on Dane Monroe. He’s a tall drink of water — blond, brash, and one hell of a volleyball player. Hijole. Lucia hopes her volleyball scholarship to his school will make him notice her.

Too bad what’s noticeable is Dane’s obvious hatred for Lucia. Her family’s politics contradict everything he stands for. And politics are front and center in both their families. Dane’s mother is about to face Lucia’s father in the race for US President.

When Secret Service throws them together, Dane can’t deny his frustrating attraction to Lucia’s athletic curves and sweet faith in the world. Amid the intense pressure of college athletics and presidential politics, can opposites not just attract, but overcome overwhelming odds to be together? Or do their differences block their match from the start?

If you would like to participate in the Release Event and/or Request to Review BLOCKED, you can find out more information HERE.


GIVEAWAY

I’m giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card and an Advanced Reader Copy of BLOCKED! You can enter HERE:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

Get psyched for romance with psychologist/author (psycho author) Jennifer Lane! By day she witnesses growth in her psychotherapy clients, and by night she wrangles misbehaving fictional characters as she writes sports romance and romantic suspense with a psychological twist. She can’t decide which is more fun.

A swimmer and volleyball player in college, Jen wove some of her own experiences into Streamline—a military mystery about swimmers. And readers can dip their toes into Jen’s world of swimming romance by sampling her free New Adult novella Swim Recruit.

College volleyball romance Blocked is Jen’s newest release, launching 10-21-14. Peek inside big-time college sports and even bigger national politics when the offspring of two presidential candidates find out whether opposites really do attract, or their match is blocked from the start.

Stories of redemption interest Jen the most, especially the healing power of love. She is also the author of The Conduct Series, a romantic suspense trilogy that includes With Good Behavior, Bad Behavior, and On Best Behavior. Ultimately, whether writing or reading, Jen loves stories that make her laugh and cry.

In her spare time she enjoys exercising, attending book club, hanging out with her plus-size, “I’m not fat, I’m big-boned” Izzie cat, and visiting her sisters and their families in Chicago and Hilton Head.

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New Release BREAKING FREE by SM Koz: Review, Interview, FREE on Amazon

Jennifer Lane


I had the pleasure of reading the ARC of Breaking Free, a YA/NA contemporary romance by SM KOZ.


It’s free on Amazon 8/1 and 8/2…get after it HERE.

First is my review, then an interview with the author.

Breaking FreeBreaking Free by S.M. Koz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Love Blooms in Wilderness Program

This New Adult romance will be released 8-1-14, and the psychological aspects of the story enticed me to read an advanced copy.

Kelsie is a 17-year-old cheerleader who’s a hot mess. Her best friend died in a car accident, and Kelsie unfairly blames herself. To numb her emotional pain, she starts self-injuring. While cutting oneself is horrifying, I didn’t fully appreciate the horror until I was right there with Kelsie, feeling her pain and her disgust from taking it out on her body.

To try to curb her harmful behavior, Kelsie’s father sends her to a wilderness therapy program. She is ill-prepared and ticked off, with her huge suitcase and even bigger attitude. But the counselor Chris knows just how to handle her, and Kelsie settles down enough to get through the first day, eventually growing closer to the other teens in the program.

JC is the young man who captures her attention the most. He’s athletic, light-hearted, and also blames himself for a loved one dying.

Keslie tells her story to the woman hired to keep her safe—Marta—after she finishes the program. Therefore, the novel consists of flashbacks, which might not have been the best choice for the pacing of the plot. I thought the story took a while to get going. Also, the nicknames Kelsie bestows on each program participant seemed to interfere with clarity and my connection to the characters.

But once the plot kicks into gear, I was riveted. Another boy in the program has it out for JC, and a brewing storm threatens the safety of the group. That’s when Kelsie is forced to grow up fast, discovering that people may not be what they seem.

I dislike when parents are portrayed as incompetent twits in YA and NA stories. Though Kelsie’s stepmother is a shrew, I’m glad her father works hard at redeeming himself.

Kelsie’s interactions with JC provide much-needed lightness given the darkness they’ve experienced. The characters seem to be their age, which I appreciate.

I grab a handful of shirts and organize them by type, short-sleeved or long-sleeved, and color. After a few minutes, JC stands behind me and places his hand around my waist. “You really are OCD.”
“Is that a problem for you?”
“Yes, that is the final straw. I can handle everything else, but putting my shirts in rainbow order is too much.”

I loved the ending, which left me with a relieved, buoyant feeling. This is a wonderful debut novel!

View all my reviews


And now an interview with SM Koz:

Jennifer Lane (JL): Welcome to the blog, SM! How did you get started as an author?


SM Koz (SK): Thanks for inviting me! Technically, I first started writing about nine years ago. The story was a murder mystery that took place on a cruise ship and one of the main characters had an English bulldog named Penelope. I wrote two pages, realized it was too hard, and then never looked at it again for five years. After my husband and I moved to a sleepy little village, I found myself with a lot of free time. One day while I was cleaning up computer files, I ran across my story with Penelope and was somewhat impressed by what I read. Having lots of time on my hands, I decided to write a full-length YA novel. That one was about a girl who moves to the beach to live with her older sister for the summer and falls in love with a boy as they help a stranded dolphin, named Maurice, recover from a mysterious illness. That one will never be published, but it’s fun to go back and see what my first attempt at a novel was like. Since then, I’ve been writing about one book a year, some fanfiction and some original. Breaking Free is the only one I feel compelled to publish at this time, though.

JL: Blogger Christina Rodriguez recommended I read Breaking Free for the psychological elements, and I’m grateful she did! What inspired the therapy aspect of this story?


SK: I love Christina’s blog! Not many people are aware of this, but she helped me with my translations. As you know, I have a couple Hispanic characters, so I wanted to make sure my rudimentary Spanish made for realistic dialogue. She was a huge help!

As far as the inspiration for the story, I have a friend and a family member who have both cut in the past. When I first learned about self-injury, I didn’t understand why people would purposely hurt themselves and, therefore, I thought it was to attract attention. I ended up spending quite a bit of time researching the topic, which opened my eyes. Most people who cut don’t do it for attention. In fact, like Kelsie in the book, they try to hide what they’re doing. They’re ashamed, but it’s beyond their control as it has become an addictive coping mechanism to try and deal with their overwhelming emotions, whether it’s depression, anxiety, whatever.

After learning so much about self-injury, I wanted to help others who were in my position—wishing to help their friends, but not understanding how to or even why their friends did what they did. That’s when I decided to turn it into a story. Because I typically write adventure-filled books, I knew immediately that the main characters would be in the wilderness for their therapy and run into some unexpected hurdles along the way. I think it ended up being a nice mix of emotion, suspense, and romance with a couple plot twists to keep things interesting.

JL: You’re getting some lovely reviews. What has been your favorite comment about your debut novel?


SK: Thanks. It’s hard to pick just one, but there have been a couple people who have commented on the realistic nature of the story. Furthermore, some of these individuals have indicated they themselves have experience with cutting. Although I did an incredible amount of research for this book, it’s always challenging to write about something that you have no firsthand experience with. So, receiving this type of feedback provides me with a great deal of satisfaction. If people who share similar backgrounds are able to relate and connect to Kelsie, then I hope they’ll find strength in her story and learn better coping methods for their own self-injury behaviors. With Breaking Free, if I prevent or help stop one person from cutting, then I’ll feel like it was a success.

JL: I see on Goodreads that you’re planning a Young Adult novel next. What draws you to YA?


SK: Initially, I thought it would be easier. My story with Penelope was meant for adults, but I felt like my plot wasn’t complex enough for that audience. So, I switched to YA for my next one, but after writing the entire thing, I determined that plot was way too simplistic even for teen readers. That’s when I realized YA isn’t differentiated from adult fiction by complexity or writing quality, it’s about the type of story, the characters, and unique conflicts.

I enjoy slipping into the complex minds of teenage characters. They don’t always do what you’d expect or behave the way you’d like them to, but that’s okay. It’s all about their underlying nature. Everyone makes mistakes as they grow into the person they want to be. I enjoy playing with that because I think it allows for more interesting characterization and a lot of internal conflict as well as external.

Breaking Free is my first book that really focuses on the emotional complexities of the main character as the major plot line, though. I thought I might have a difficult time writing this type of story, but the words flowed relatively easily. In fact, I wrote this three time faster than anything else I’ve written. I’m not sure, but think I might have found my niche 🙂

JL: Thanks for visiting the blog, SM, and best of luck on your writing career!

SK: Thanks so much for having me!