Archive for July, 2006
July 31, 2006
10:23 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
This is an exciting week for me - my book comes out this Friday. Whoo hoo! I’m going to be honest - I never thought it would happen this fast. I started writing a year ago, have amassed quite the collection of crappy half-assed manuscripts on my hard drive. There are so many things I want to do with my writing, so many ways I want to go, and it surprises me still that I ended up writing a steamy erotic romance and it’s actually going to be sold to the public. With a cover and everything.
So I want to share my excitement with you all. Everyone who posts on my blog this week — starting today — will be entered to win a goody basket. I’m not quite sure what’s in the goody basket yet but know that it’s gonna be good! It’s gonna be fun! It’s gonna be ——- exciting!
Well, I don’t know about the exciting part, but come on, I can’t help it. I’m excited.
Tomorrow I’ll share an excerpt of Release Me. A teaser if you will. And you can tell me if you like it or hate it. I hope you’ll like it.
July 30, 2006
7:48 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
Yep. I’m so out of shape it’s not even funny.
Went to Yosemite National Park yesterday with my family and my brother in law’s family. Should’ve known better. Should’ve known it would’ve been a non-relaxing type of day when all I really wanted to do was relax.
I need to mention my bro-in-law loves to hike. So when he mentioned a hike I thought, ‘Ok, I can do this. No sweat.’ Saw the sign listing the distances to the various locations, saw where we wanted to go was only .8 miles so I thought, ‘Not so bad. Better than the last time we went on a hike with him and it ended up being 9 miles round trip.’ (I’m not kidding - sheer torture. I felt like my legs were wobbly masses of goo for two days after that hike)
Well, that last hike was seven years ago and I must’ve been in better shape, but this .8 mile hike was nothing but a constant uphill climb that just about killed me. Throw in two kids who don’t want to climb either and a husband huffin’ and puffin’ behind you and all that equals — UGH!
I was sweaty. And dirty. At least the weather was nice. Did I mention this path takes you all the way up to Half Dome? Sixteen miles round trip to see that wondrous splendor.
Now it really is a wondrous splendor but I for one prefer to stare at it from the lookout point.
Don’t get me wrong, Yosemite was beautiful. The weather was gorgeous, but the park was kind of crowded. They have an entire transit system in there - like a mini city in the middle of all of this natural beauty! Cool. If you’re ever my way, I recommend going to Yosemite. It’s a sight that can’t be missed.
July 29, 2006
1:52 am • Filed under: Uncategorized
Let’s party! In honor of my 100th post, here’s a pic of a hot couple. Ahh, the life of the beautiful people. Must be rough…
The male model was the inspiration for my hero in Release Me. This photo doesn’t do him justice — he has the most amazing eyes I’ve ever seen! Just gorgeous. Whoo-wee…excuse me while I fan myself.
In other news I’ve been busy hanging with my family since the husband is on vacation and I think we’re even going to venture on up to Yosemite tomorrow (about an hour and a half drive). That’s why I haven’t been blogging or blog surfing. I’ve barely had the time - I miss my internet!
Oh! I got a new laptop today! It’s awesome with a 17 inch screen and all of this bad ass stuff on it that I don’t even know how to use yet. Not used to the keyboard though - keep hitting the wrong keys! And I have a 60 day free trial of Microsoft Office, and it’s sooo bogus cos you can’t open up any new documents or anything. Hah! My parents bought Office a few days ago and I’m going to install theirs. But this means I’m not going to be able to actually write on this silly laptop till they come to visit me on the 7th. Lame free trial, let me tell ya.
But I got a free trial of Bejeweled 2 and it’s awesome! And not the best thing to have around when you should be writing…
July 26, 2006
1:23 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
1. When did you first start blogging and why?
I started back in March. I thought it would be a fun way to share my thoughts and frustrations and also a great way to meet new people.
2. What don’t you talk about?
Religion, politics, and I don’t want to bash anybody. I try to keep it light and fun.
3. Are you and your blogging persona the same person?
Pretty much! I’m a people person, I like to talk, so yeah, I like to blog too. Plus, I reveal just how lame I can be as well…
4. How do you use blogging to build friendships?
Well, I have found some great people with blogging, similar women with similar goals. Similar problems, similar experiences. Through bloggers I have made friends with, I’ve branched off and found other blogging friends. And I’d always like to meet more!
5. How would you describe your writing style?
Sexy! Steamy! Sizzling! LOL With a dash of humor thrown in for good measure.
Ok, I’m tagging —- Emma!
July 25, 2006
5:40 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
…old books this week. Books that have been on my keeper shelf since I was in my late teens, early twenties. When I first discovered romances and devoured them at lightning speed. Ahh, back in the day when I had a lot of time on my hands and I filled it with reading. I miss those days…
Anywho, I was inspired by my fellow Flirt Emma to reread some ol’ favorites and here’s what I’ve read so far.
Separate Beds by Lavyrle Spencer. Classic Lavyrle. I believe it was originally released as a category but I’m not sure. I read it when I was 19 and the heroine is 19, pregnant and forced into a marriage of convenience with a damn sexy man. Who wants her but she’s so screwed up in the head she denies him. Repeatedly. I wanted to shout at her when I first read it, “Tear down your wall and let him in! He wants in, you idiot!” This is a book so touching, so emotional that I cry every time I read it. Seriously.
Paradise by Judith McNaught. I read an excerpt of this book in Cosmo magazine back in like ‘89 or ‘90 (showing my age here) and was like, “Whoa. Who the hell is this? She’s good!” Bought the book, proceeded to buy every book she ever wrote after that and read through them in one summer, way back in the day. Judith is very descriptive. She’s a fan of the word ache, or achingly and the term “lazy smile.” Um, I don’t know about you, but I love a good kind of ache and when a “lazy smile” appears on a handsome man’s face well, I kinda like it.
Ok, I’ve only read two but here’s what’s next on my list. A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux. I love, love LOVE this book! Jude is the first author (at least that I read) who had flawed or feisty heroines. They weren’t all perfect and beautiful and timid. No way. Some of them were major pains in the ass, but the hero loved them anyway. She wrote one book where the heroine was (gasp!) chubby (Three Wishes, I believe) - wonderful book! Nothing wrong with chubby heroines. They’re all the rage right now anyway so Jude was way ahead of her time. After that is Once and Always, by Judith Mc. A historical. A really good one. Her heroes are the best. They can be jerks but are brought to their knees by the heroine. Nice.
And the one I’m saving for last, Dream Fever by Katherine Sutcliffe. A historical, set in Australia. Flawed hero, flawed heroine, awesome secondary characters. Freakin’ wonderful book. Wrenches the emotions right out of you.
I’m in for a cry fest with all of these books for sure. But I don’t care. It’s gonna be awesome!
So share what’s on your keeper bookshelf. Any oldies but goodies? Something new and so good you just couldn’t put it down? I’d love to hear about them.
July 24, 2006
1:58 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
That’s what I did this weekend. I had a lot of stuff to do and I desperately wanted to get it done, so I tried to limit my internet goof off time and got to work. It helped - I finished all of my blurbs, etc. for Haunted Dreams, worked on a lot of promo stuff for Release Me, but I didn’t write hardly anything for the new one.
Oh, well. At least I got all of the other stuff done that’s been hanging over my head.
I think it’s really hit me that this writing this has turned into a business. It’s a whole new ballgame when you’re writing to sell and meet deadlines, vs. writing for your own pleasure and enjoyment. No pressure except for the self-imposed kind. It’s a different experience, but one I am adjusting to.
Anybody else have email congestion? My gosh, I spent over an hour on Friday just cleaning up my email account. Ridiculous! But I printed a ton that I needed to keep and filed them all away. And I opened up a Gmail account. I need to separate the personal from the business. My Yahoo account was groaning with all of the emails coming at it.
Ok, this was a boring post but hey, this is what I did this weekend. What did YOU do this weekend?
July 21, 2006
3:20 am • Filed under: Uncategorized
…is over at the Word Flirts blog.
Check it out!
July 20, 2006
4:36 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
I freakin’ love it!
July 19, 2006
1:00 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
I sold my Halloween story! Cobblestone bought Haunted Dreams. Hurray!
I’d give you a blurb but I haven’t written it yet! I’ll put one up in the next day or two.
July 18, 2006
4:35 pm • Filed under: Uncategorized
I’m having a contest in honor of my first book release with Cobblestone Press.
Now my book Release Me doesn’t come out for another two and a half weeks (August 4th), but I want to give everyone plenty of opportunity to enter to win. All you have to do is sign up for my newsletter by August 3rd. That’s it. Simple as that. And if you don’t want to sign up for my newsletter through Yahoo, just send me an email at karen @ karenwritesromance. com (minus the spaces) with “Newsletter” as the subject line and I’ll sign you up that way, too.
What do you get the chance to win if you sign up, you ask? Well, I have a few choice products from Bath & Body Work’s Tutti Dolci line to give away. This stuff smells so delicious, you will absolutely love it!
So sign up! And if you’ve already signed up, don’t worry. You’re already entered!
Click to join karenericksons_newsletter
