Julie Kimbrell, a new up-and-coming author, agreed to do an interview with me.  She’s published both YA and Adult Romance with two e-publishers and is currently seeking an agent.

When did you first become interested in writing? 

I’ve always had an interest but no time or initiative. About a year ago, I had an idea and mentioned it to my mother who told me to write it down. I wrote it down and began to add to it and a couple weeks later, I had my first YA book.

What made you decide to become a published author?  What process did you go through when selecting your publisher(s)? 

I felt so proud that I actually wrote a whole novel.  I mean, 50,000 words is a lot. I thought I’d never be able to do it, and I did. That motivated me to write query letters and mail them to different agencies in an attempt to find an agent to represent me. I haven’t found one yet, but I’m not giving up.  After I finished my next two books, I decided to try e-publishing. It seemed to be the latest technology in writing. When I submitted my first Adult Romance, A Knight in Shining Tow Truck, Hearts On Fire Press picked It up so I went with them. They took all the books I had written up to then, which were all YA Romance.

If you could give advice to someone interested in writing, what would it be?

Don’t give up. Sometimes it feels like you’re stuck. Put it aside and come back to it later. You’re mind and ideas change all the time. Stick with it until you find what you’re looking for.  Every book will be better than the last.

Could you tell us a little about your latest work?

My latest book which is an Adult Romance due out Spring 2010. Mr. Irresistible is published by Wild Horse Press.

Mr. Irresistible Blurb: This story is about Kate Simon, a sensible, independent young woman, who’s thrown for a loop when Gage Morgan steps into her life.  She’s not ready for the feelings that result every time they’re together, which is often since she’s helping him run his friend’s new bar.  For some reason, he’s irresistible. Gage is so motivated to make the business successful for his friend, he struggles with his feelings for Kate as well. Does he have time for a relationship? Could it be love?  And what will happen when Gage’s selfish friend, Charlie decides he wants Kate for himself. Can Gage keep his so-called friend from ruining everything?

What inspired you to write Mr. Irresistible? 

Nothing in particular. I had several ideas about how I wanted to begin the book and one morning while I was at Wal-Mart getting groceries, I heard someone’s name being called over the intercom and it hit me.

Are you currently working on something?  If so, can you tell us a little bit about it?

Yes, I am currently finishing up on another Adult Romance that I’ve named “Hiding Hope”. It’s about a woman named Kinley who just lost her grandmother who was all the family she had left. Her friend Mia convinces her to move back to the town she grew up in where she meets Grayson. He’s alone, just like Kinley and they begin to hit it off. Kinley finds a stray dog and she and Gray hide it until they get caught and she gets evicted from the apartment she just moved into. They begin to spend time together and realize they have feelings for each other, but Kinley isn’t ready to deal with them. She wants to focus on herself and starting a new business. Gray loves her and becomes a very good support system for her. Can Gray break down the barriers around her heart? Will Kinley find that she feels the same way about Gray? 

If you could go back and change anything in your writing/publishing career, would you? And if so, what would it be and why?

I wouldn’t change anything. It’s been a fun and exciting process for me. I will continue to try and find an agent although it is becoming apparent that might not happen. I will not give up on the idea of having a mass market paperback, but until then, I want to share my work with anyone who will be willing to read it and the web is the best way to do that. 

Is there anything else you’d like to share with us today? 

I’d like to say that I have a couple books due out in print in the next couple months.  Look for them at Heartsonfirebooks.com and amazon.com  I would love for anyone that has read my works to email me with their comments. juliekimbrellbooks@yahoo.com and I have a website www.juliekimbrell.com 

Thanks for having me, Jessica!

Time and again, I’ve noticed that when I begin a new book, I start receiving what I call “affirmations” that I’m doing the right thing. I actually have a list of affirmations I received while writing Storm Swept, my December ’09 release from Wild Horse Press. In that book, a character that is in the military is called up to help repair damage from a hurricane that I named Farrah. My affirmation? Right after I named my hurricane, I met a woman named Farrah at work. Coincidence? Maybe, but also an affirmation because I picked the name at random, and she was actually looking for another office. Another example is my decision to have my heroine enrolled in classes at a culinary institute. I immediately received two affirmations for that decision: I started seeing ads for a culinary institute while watching Ghost Hunter on the SyFy channel, and I heard one of my coworkers on the phone talking about her daughter actually enrolling in one. If I hadn’t already made that choice for my character, I’d think that hearing about the institute subconsciously made me choose it. But it just didn’t happen that way.

Yet another example is my choice of “mermaid” as a nickname the hero gives the heroine. After I wrote that, I immediately received three affirmations. First, the movie Mermaids starring Cher came on television. Second, there was a story on the news about a prosthetic mermaid tail created for a woman who didn’t have legs so she could swim. Third, a coworker randomly mentioned that her husband called her that.

In this same vein, right after I wrote a scene where a character is attacked by an evil spirit, but is rescued in the nick of time, I heard this lyric in a rock song “if not for me then you’d be dead.” Okay…I admit that’s a stretch, but it worked for me! And right after I decided that my heroine would be cooking breakfasts at her sister’s B&B, I got an e-mail from Kraft foods full of breakfast recipes and heard one of the characters on Big Bang Theory mention a B&B.

Receiving affirmations is not new to me. I remember my Silhouette Romance days and two particularly unusual incidences. While plotting a book about a hero whose job is to stop illegal immigration from Mexico into Texas, I realized I didn’t know what branch of the government controlled that. At the time, the internet wasn’t as huge, so the world wasn’t at my fingertips as it is now. Before I had a chance to research my question, I ran into a man who had the words Border Patrol on his cap. We were both giving blood at the time, which meant neither of us could go anywhere, so I was able to ask him a lot of questions. Another affirmation from that same book was my need for a stretch of lonely highway. I wanted my heroine to stop and change a flat tire for the hero, whose entire arm was in a cast. If there was a lot of traffic on the road, a man would already have done the job. I needed for my heroine to know that no one else would be able to help him. I found the answer to my question when the woman who sells me make-up stopped by my house and began talking about her recent vacation. Out of the blue, she said that she’d driven down a road for over an hour without seeing another car. I got out an atlas. She pointed out the road, which was, believe it or not, in Texas!

I have many more examples; they’re all lots of fun. And amazingly enough, my daughter, who recently began writing romance, has started getting them, too. She phones and e-mails me often, telling me her most recent.  Jessica Coulter Smith recently told me that she dreamed about the last book in her series and woke up knowing how to write it. Well, no dreams for me so far, but I do get affirmations straight from my personal muse. And they never fail to encourage and inspire me.

I write the occasional review at Long & Short Reviews… I’ve been MIA lately due to some health issues, but thankfully will be reviewing again.   Anyway, I thought I’d post a brief synopsis from a few of my favorites over there along with a link to the full reviews.

Love on a Harley
As a woman who has enjoyed the occasional ride on one of man’s greatest inventions, I can say that the women did a good job describing the feel of riding on the impressive machines. Each of the men had that “bad boy” feel, but hid a good heart. The women were strong, yet pining for the love of a good man.
(read the full review)

The Feline Fugitive

The Feline Fugitive is definitely worth your time. I haven’t read anything of Ms. Bishop’s before, but I will definitely keep my eye out for her other stories.

The Feline Fugitive is full of humor, romance, action, and suspense – just what every good romance should have!
(read the full review)

Stranger in His Bed

I found the characters to be believable and sincere in their emotions. While this may be an unconventional romance by normal standards, I found myself reading page after page, anxious to see where the story would go. Ms. Henderson did a lovely job, painting scenes that I could easily see in my mind.

(read the full review)

I recently read Jaguar Moon by Linda Palmer and I must say I was drawn in from page one.  Livvie Merrick and Alex Sawyer were electrifying characters that leapt off the pages.  I was immediately immersed in the story, unable to pull away until I had read every word.  Livvie’s psychic talents cause her no end of trouble, yet Alex doesn’t seem to mind them despite the fact that he doesn’t believe in his own family curse.  However, when strange things begin to happen to him, he has no choice but to believe in the impossible. 

Ms. Palmer has created a tale of paranormal delight with a hint of romance and a dash of suspense.  Curl up this Halloween with Jaguar Moon and allow Ms. Palmer to thrill you, chill you, and leave you begging for more.

Would you like a sneak peek into the 3rd Ashton Grove Werewolves book?  Moonlight Guardian is due out October 27th and while there are a few excerpts floating around here and there, and it’s available for pre-sale at All Romance Ebooks, I’d like to give you a little more insight into the book…

Chloe is a very strong woman.  She’s used to standing on her own two legs.  Needless to say, after having a brief affair with Michael – which she thought of as more – she finds herself pregnant and alone.  After losing her job, her car, and her apartment, she’s at her wits end.  After much soul searching, she feels she has no other option but to tell Michael about the baby and hope that he’ll lend her a helping hand.  Going to him for help goes against everything she believes in as an independent woman, but there are times when you just have to admit defeat.

Michael is surprise to say the least to find out Chloe is pregnant.  A cold dose of reality is what he needed to realize his life is lacking something important – a mate and a family of his own.  Convincing Chloe to stay by his side isn’t going to be easy, but he knows he has to give it a shot.  What he doesn’t count on is a little competition for her affection.

When Kiera and Gabriel throw a party inviting the entire pack to meet Chloe, Ramsey takes the opportunity to get to know the spunky redhead.  She might be carrying another werewolf’s child, but she hasn’t been claimed as a mate – yet.  Deciding to give Michael a run for his money, Ramsey sets out to win Chloe for himself. 

With two men trying to win her heart, Chloe feels more confused than ever.  She’d like to believe that Michael has changed, but can she risk her heart and her baby? Ramsey claims to care for her and can offer her and her baby a stable home life.  Will that be enough or should she hold out for the all-consuming love that she sees in the couples around her?

Moonlight Guardian
Book 3, Ashton Grove Werewolves
Release Date: October 27th
Wild Horse Press

Action, Adventure, Vampires, and Romance… Blood of the Beast has all of these and more. If you want a quick read, this isn’t the book for you. If you want a book that has a lot of thought and feeling that shines throughout, then Blood of the Beast is a must read for 2009. Ms. Quijas has a way with words, the likes of which we don’t often see anymore. Reading her books is always a pleasure. I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

For the full review, visit The Novel Blog!

I’m excited to announce that my review of Rough Edges, by Jannifer Hoffman, is the spotlighted review over at We Write Romance!

“While this is a great love story, Rough Edges is so much more than a romance novel. With intrigue, suspense, and a murder mystery, you’re sure to find yourself lost in the world of the Rocking T Ranch and the small town of Danango, Colorado. Rough Edges is an emotional tale of love, hope, and trust… it will keep you guessing, throwing in unpredictable surprises here and there.”

Be sure to visit We Write Romance for the full review!

I recently reviewed Haunted Destiny by Kelly Abell, a YA paranormal romance,  for The Novel Blog.

“The characters of Destiny, Jake, and Grams Rose were likeable. And of course what would a teen story be without the super popular girl we all love to hate? While Amy’s character comes across as snobby and cruel, there are times you can’t help but feel sorry for her. The characters were all well developed, even the secondary ones. You could tell the author put some thought into the storyline.”

For the entire review, visit The Novel Blog today!

Well, author Tamela Quijas certainly surprised me today.  She has bestowed upon me, or rather my blog, the One Lovely Blog Award!

It is an honor to receive this award and I’m happy to “play it forward” by granting the same award to Long & Short Reviews and The Book Girl.

The NovelBlog is proud to present A Quart of Blood, an anthology containing four short stories by Daniel Boucher, Peter Mark May, Jessica Coulter Smith, and Rachelle Gagne. Look for it soon at TheNovelBlog.com!

What horrors truly lie deep in the veins and arteries of our own fragile human bodies: a wolfen strain, alien DNA; what effect do old bio-weapons have on it and is the taste of warm blood in our mouths a forbidden step too far….

Last Train…a commuter oversleeps on the train home from London to find himself in a fog bound village of the dammed.

Dreams by Moonlight…Brianna Phillips comes face to face with the creatures that have invaded her dreams since childhood: now an adult dare she let herself be caught?

Frozen…..Deep in the snowy wastes an ancient corpse is found, could it be alien, or is the danger a human treat after all.

Lunch with Pete…….A business lunch goes bloody as an underdone steak and the red stuff on the tablecloth is not ketchup.