Creating Kylie Reed
Kylie Reed is the heroine in my latest
release, Waiting for Prince Harry.
Creating Kylie was a multi-step process, and it started with her internal conflict:
fear. Fear of failure, fear of disappointing people, fear of standing up for
herself.
I often see young women struggle with
this--fear holding them back, and having experienced it myself, I knew it was a
topic I wanted to explore. I wanted to show Kylie wrestling with it, putting
off taking action by filing her dreams in a “future” file to be lived later. I
wanted her to grow with Harrison, the hero of the book, and have both of them
learn to face their fears together.
So once I had the conflict, next I had to craft her
looks and personality. Her looks came to me by chance--I was at coworker’s desk
and she had a photo of her daughter-in-law on it. The young woman was
absolutely stunning--with long, dark hair and brown eyes. But she radiated warmth
in her pictures. Kindness. Someone you would want to meet and be around. And
the second I saw this picture, I had the physical inspiration for Kylie Reed. I
could see Harrison being drawn to her genuine spirit, and her espresso-colored
eyes would always tell him everything he needed to know.
Name: Debutantes Don't Date
Author: Kristina O'Grady
Format: kindle edition
Pages: 215 pages
Release date: 30th April 2014
Publisher:
Carina UK
Teaser
One minute Grace Lancaster is an overworked event manager organising 2013’s New Year’s Eve ball… The next she’s kissing a rather gorgeous man at the Regency themed party. Everyone’s entitled to an out-of-character New Year’s kiss, right? Except Jasper Mossman, Earl of Bingham, isn’t at a costume party - he’s a real-life gentleman from 1813...
And, it seems, kissing a man in Regency London has consequences!
What Grace considers normal behaviour scandalises Regency society and so far she’s provided the irrepressible gossips of the ton with a season’s worth of conversation! In a scramble to protect her reputation, as well as his own, Jasper insists that they marry for the sake of her honour. Marrying Mr Darcy might be a 21st century girl’s dream – but the reality is far from romantic. Corsets are uncomfortable, no running water is disastrous! Grace had always planned on falling in love before she got married, but when Jasper takes her in his arms she just might believe she’s finally found her very own Prince Charming.
This beautiful cover was designed by Jaclyn Parks of
Twin Dog Designs (she also designed the cover for my debut novel,
Twenty-Five). Her website is currently undergoing re-design, but you can reach her at twindogdesigns@aol.com.
Summary:
In a world where everyone is assigned a lifemate at birth by the Gods, thirty year-old Honor is still looking for hers. When her new boss, Sedric, points out that her mate probably died before they met, Honor embarks on a quest for closure. She needs to know who her mate was and what he was like so she can move on with her life.
Sedric is determined to help Honor, because he understands the emptiness she's feeling. As they search for Honor's lifemate and get to know each other, they start to wonder if the only kind of love is that which is fated and if there really is only one person for everyone.
Name: Twenty-Five
Author: Rachel L. Hamm
Format: kindle edition
Pages: 254
Release date: 1st July 2013
Publisher: Pick Up A Pen Books
Teaser
Abigail Bronsen is sure
her life is going nowhere when she turns twenty-five and realizes she
hasn't done anything on a list of goals she made for herself as a
teenager. Ben Harris is looking to find "the one" after his last
girlfriend cheated on him. When they crash into each other, it appears
they've both found exactly what they wanted. A year of firsts follows:
first date, first kiss, first “I love you’s.” The first fight is
inevitable, but neither of them saw a breakup coming. When Abigail is
offered a job overseas, they’ll discover that no relationship is perfect
and even true love sometimes finds itself separated by time and
distance.
Guest Post: Why I love Chick-Lit by Jenny
I have always enjoyed reading. When I was younger, I would sit and read books by Roald Dahl with my Mum or Dad before bed, which then as I got older, turned into books by Jacqueline Wilson.
There was a year or two in my life where I didn't read any books of my own for pleasure. In school I had set readings for my coursework and exams, so I had to concentrate on them instead. Although, I can't complain - I really enjoyed one of the books I had to read - Of Mice and Men.
In the last couple of years, I have been introduced to the 'Chick-Lit' genre... Which is officially my favourite genre to read!
The first ever Chick-Lit book I read was 'Millie's Fling by Jill Mansell'. It was summertime and I needed a new book to read, but I couldn't decide which one. My Mum told me that I would probably enjoy some of the books that she has, so I made my way upstairs to check them out. I picked up 'Millie's Fling', began reading, and couldn't stop...
Of course, once I had finished this one, I raided my Mum's book shelf again and picked another by the same author. Since then, I have had a slight (ok, huge!) obsession with the genre.
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at
The Broke and the Bookish.
This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here
at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other
bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!
This Tuesday's theme is...
Top Ten Characters who would be my boyfriend
Book boyfriends, what a great topic to talk about! Reading so many books I have quite fallen in love with so many great male character. I've done this research based on looks of the charakters. Let's start with the list...
1. Harrison Flynn - Waiting for Prince Harry by Aven Ellis
2. Ben Harris - Twenty-Five by Rachel L. Hamm
Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at
The Broke and the Bookish.
This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here
at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other
bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!
This Tuesday's theme is...
Top Ten Boookish Things I'd like to own
1. A bookish tattoo
2. My own reading place on a window front
Name: What Happens in Ireland
Author: Whitney K.E.
Format: kindle edition
Pages: 301
Release date: 7th May 2013
Publisher:
Secret Cravings Publishing
Teaser
Have you ever wondered what happens in Ireland? When Australian, Kate Barrow, meets a handsome Irishman in a Dublin bar, she has no idea that he is about to turn her world upside-down and inside-out.
In Ireland to take on a position on a thoroughbred stud, Kate is shocked when her manager-in-co reveals himself to be the same man she’d met in Dublin.
Jack is drawn to Kate. The problem is, she won't have him. But Jack has always loved a challenge and the intriguing woman from Oz is one he cannot resist.
Harbouring the sting of another man’s betrayal, Kate is certain she wants nothing to do with love and nothing to do with Jack O’Reilly. But when naked torsos, Mother Nature and dysfunctional umbrellas start plotting against her resolve, she realizes the charms of an Irishman are going to be hard to resist.
Women’s Fiction: Why every Heroine should have a hot guy who adores her…..
I was dating a guy once - albeit very briefly - and he was the epitome of ‘bad boy’. He made Brad Pitt look ugly and Robert Downey Jr. seem a saint in comparison. This guy was sex on legs and didn’t he know it. But here was the problem… it was ALL about him. He was selfish, egotistical and mentally screwed up. Although that could be partly because of his cocaine addiction I suppose…
We’d make plans and he’d cancel. We’d chat and he’d suddenly leave me hanging mid-sentence. I would go to his house expecting the dinner that he’d said he’d cook for me… and would be lucky to get given a piece of toast. But I didn’t see any of this did I… of course not… because I was infatuated; obsessed with his good looks and charming personality. He could have done anything and I would have found an excuse for his behavior. In fact I did, all the time!
It’s only when we experience the above type of guy time after time that we begin to realize that we’re worth SO much more. No woman deserves to be treated disrespectfully or to feel thankful for the crumbs given to her by a certain type of man. A woman deserves to be treated with love, honesty and total admiration. And that’s just for starters…!
Name: Christmas at the Gingerbread Café
Author: Rebecca Raisin
Format: kindle edition
Pages: 54
Release date: 15th November 2013
Publisher: Carina UK
Teaser
Christmas is the season
the Gingerbread Café was made for…but owner Lily couldn’t be feeling
less merry if she tried. She’s spent another year dreaming of being
whisked away on a sleigh-ride for two, but she’s facing festive season
alone – again. And, just to give her another reason to feel anything
other than candy-cane perky, a new shop across the road has opened… Not
only is it selling baked goods, but the owner, with his seriously
charming smile, has every girl in town swooning.
But Lily isn’t
about to let her business crumble — the Gingerbread Café is the heart of
the community, and she’s going to fight for it! This could be the
Christmas that maybe, just maybe, all her dreams – even the
someone-to-decorate-the-Christmas-tree-with ones – really do come true!
I’m very happy to welcome you on my blog! You can please introduce yourself to my readers.
Hello! Thank you SO MUCH for having me! I am a blogger, by day and by night! I am in love with McFly, reading and writing. Each of these are likely to be always on my mind! Reading and writing have always excited me and, in turn allow me to be in my own little bubble of words! My bubble is my favourite place to be!
Name: Heath: A Family's Tale
Author: Janet Fife-Yeomans
Format: hardcover
Pages: 329
Release date: 1st January 2009
Publisher: Fall River Press
Teaser
Heath Ledger was a superstar on the world stage, a gorgeous guy, a true
romantic, a man who was dedicated to his craft and who loved a laugh. This is
the definitive look at the real life of Heath Ledger from childhood to
fully-fledged stardom, with exclusive personal insights from his family and
friends, by an Australian journalist and author. This is an Australian story
about the beginning of a legend.