Wornoutwoman

In just a few weeks, I'll release one of my favorite books to date. When I started writing, I didn't set out to write a series.  I started with just one book, Finding Kylie, a contemporary romance and family saga about two women and their journey through past and present to learn about love and becoming survivors.  I left the ending somewhat open, while still having closure for the main character. I could have left it alone after Finding Kylie, but the story was so endearing to readers - that I got email after email asking 'what happens next?'.  Hence, the sequel, Facing Redemption was born, but it didn't happen overnight.  To tell the other side of the story, I had to put myself into some shoes that weren't savory and to do that it meant I had to learn to fully forgive.  You see ... these two books are very personal to me for very real reasons.  Read the forward of Facing Redemption and you'll know why. Once I was ready to move forward in my per...

Every year seems to fly by at an alarmingly increasing rate. I know they say time flies but seriously wasn't it just December 2013?  There have been a lot of ups and downs in this last year, as I'm sure it was the same with most of us, but overall I consider myself truly blessed. As this year passes in just a few hours, I want to express my thanks to those of you, who supported me with such sweet words and acts of support, with your emails and purchases of all three of my books.  As I look back to count my blessings from this year, I include my family and my friends, whom I include my readers. In the coming year, I wish you nothing but peace as you forge forward into a new year.  

This week has been very productive.  Not only did I get the final cover signed off on - for COMING HOME, but I also got the mock cover finished for the re-release of FINDING KYLIE, which will be available next month as well.  This way - I can have a few copies of FINDING KYLIE available at my book launch party for COMING HOME. Speaking of COMING HOME - I woke up today to an email from a writer, who gave a very positive review. It was published in Blogcritics magazine and the Seattle pi. You can see Blogcritics review  here and the Seattle pi review  here  -- but if you don't want to read the whole thing, then let me post the best part for your convenience: " Coming Home   is really about Anne and her ability to come to terms with the things that have shaped her past: the death of her parents, the inability to live in the elite world of her grandparents, the failed relationships, and, most of all, the alienation of her little sister Grace. But...

Last month, a close friend asked me to talk to her eighth grade lit students on the basics of getting published.  I was honored and happy to get the chance to inspire young minds. I expected a few crazy kids, as not everyone is thrilled to talk about books or writing them.  However, I was pleasantly surprised to find quite a few that were genuinely excited to be a part of the guest lecture. There were a few aspiring writers in each class, and there was enough class participation to create an exciting experience for all. The thing I loved most was the thoughtful questions.  I expected the basics, like ... how do you come up with ideas to write ... what made you want to be a writer ... etc. These kids were insightful and asked things like, 'After editing how much came out of your original story?'  'How long did it take you to finish each book?'  'How did you come up with cover concepts?'  These were deep and thoughtful kids (for the most part...

It's interesting to see a story evolve and characters grow, as one writes a book.  In writing my third book, Coming Home, I have grown leaps and bounds as an author.  I've been stretched and refined, which I think will result in wonderful things for this book. Initially, my intent was to weave a great storyline around Anne La Sal, a character from my first two books, Finding Kylie & Facing Redemption.  In both books, she is the ever-supportive best friend who is developed more in Facing Redemption to garner the character to withstand her own story. Coming Home was originally going to be a dual storyline about Anne and her estranged sister Grace, however, I started to fall in love with Grace's character so much that I decided to give her own story with Saving Grace. These four books are the Forgiveness Series. That being said I've got two books releasing this year... Coming Home & Saving Grace. They will release at the time so that readers do not have to w...

After last weeks Facing Redemption downloads from Kindle (which at one point were over 1,500 in one day), I was hoping to hear from some readers after they finished the book.  I  thought maybe in a few weeks or a month, a few might trickle in. However, yesterday, I got an email with the subject line, which read Finding Kylie . Again, I didn't expect this to be anything related to Facing Redemption as it was referencing my first book - not my second. I opened it up, only to read a sweet letter from a very nice lady.  It said she had just read Facing Redemption on her  Kindle but could not find Finding Kylie electronically, and wanted to know the best way to get her hands on a copy.  She also wanted to know when Coming Home was going to be released. I explained that since my contract was up with my previous publisher, she pulled everything off Kindle and that she'd have to order a hard copy. She went on to explain how much she enjoyed the read, and that sh...

Source: kfor.com via Kimberly on Pinterest This morning I got up at 4:20 a.m. and dragged my hiney out of bed to get ready for my 6 a.m. interview with Miss Ali , a very talented news anchor for KFOR News. You can reach the interview by clicking the picture above, which will take you to my Pinterest ... which then links to the newscast. Or you can just click here . I'm thankful that this time I didn't talk with my hands.  LOL.

So the cover for Facing Redemption is done. The final review is in (all glowing reviews), and I'm ready to roll.  Above is a teaser of what the cover is going to look like.  The model, who posed for the cover, is very easy on the eyes and will be at the launch party for photo ops with anyone interested. We're going to have live music, free appetizers, pics taken with author and cover model, and door prizes.  It will be a fun night. So far we've got a solid turnout but could always use more.  If you're in OKC on September 15th, come by Sauced, the best pizza place in the Paseo district.  While you're there, order a pizza and stay for a while.  You'll have a good time!

So in the last four years, I've been involved in two writing projects - co-writing the screenplay of Finding Kylie, and the sequel, Facing Redemption. To keep up to date with any of my current events, it's best to check here on my FB page . Currently, my writing partner, film producer, John Schwab, is currently casting for the hard read of Finding Kylie.  Let me explain what a hard read is so there's no confusion... Although the script is in front of some influential filmmakers, it is not sold... yet.  A hard read is just as is sounds. We're casting actors to read the script for our own purposes, to make sure the story does what we feel it will do - not just on paper but fleshed out with real people. So when I say we're casting for the hard read - this will be for our purposes only. Call it a learning curve to see if the script lives up to the potential we know it has.  Since John lives in the UK, I will skype in for the hard read, which he will also t...

Once in a while, you get one of those feel-good spiritually uplifting moments and you can feel God's arms wrap around you and your heart. It's as if you can almost feel His presence right inside you, reminding you of his love. Well, what I'm getting ready to tell you about is also one of those feel-good, uplifting projects that will give you goosebumps. You all know I'm a fan of Hallmark anything - and it's not just because I've met Brad Moore, the President of Hallmark Films. It's also because of the quality of the films they put out. When I hear of anything new of theirs, I grab my tissue box and get ready for a sweet and clean movie. My husband makes fun of me every time, yet he often stops and watches, interested whether he'd admit or not. Let's face it ... he makes fun of me a lot. I cry at Extreme Home Makeover. I cry at a military USAA commercial, with the scene where the troops finally come home and rush into the arms of their love...

Do you know how hard it is to write a story from a point of view that you'd never want? My first book, Finding Kylie, is now out which was from my point of view from 'my' what if story in life. Now the sequel is my task, and it's from the opposing side or point of view. Not that I can't do it, because I've made some extra-ordinary headway in the last two days, but it's definitely interesting to put myself in someone's shoes that want nothing to do with. So that I don't give anything away in my current book, I won't say too much except that the main character's name is Chastity. She finds some things out in her life and about some family ties that she's not sure she wants or now needs to know. This book takes her on her journey in many ways to discover about life and love through her mother's hidden journals, found after her mother's, Kylie's, funeral. This new book, Facing Redemption, is from a totally different van...