Sunday, December 23, 2012

Happy Holidays!

Whew! It was a lot of work But I'm Done -- Got the tree up!!


 
I just love the smell of pine!
 
Hope this made you smile like it did me. 
 
In all seriousness, whether you celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or another holiday I don't know about, I wish you the very best this season.  May peace and joy fill your hearts, may you enjoy whatever traditions you have, and may you have the best the New Year can offer.
 
We celebrate Christmas by spending it with family.  We'll get together with my children and grandchildren, and it's always fun to watch the little ones' eye's grow big and wide with excitement as they open presents and play with their cousins.
 
I have much to be thankful for.  I have a loving husband, wonderful family, healthy grandchildren, and can still spend tine with my father who is healthy and doing well at age 86.  I have a comfortable home, a rambuctious yellow lab, many, many friends, and the list goes on.  Too much to list, but suffice it to say, I'm very blessed. 
 
I wish you a very Merry Christmas -- A Happy Holiday Season -- and the very best as we start 2013! 
 


Monday, December 10, 2012

Things You May Not Know

Isn't it funny how we are always interested in the little unknown facts about a person we look up to, someone who is famous, someone who is in the news or just the interesting people we meet?  I know I love to read about my favorite actors or authors and find out their secrets, the things they love to do, the things they love.

In that light, I thought I'd let you in on a few things people may not know about me.

1.  I love onion rings, but I hate onions.  I thought I was the only one out there who will order onion rings and tell them to keep the onions off my hamburger.  Funny thing, the more I talk to people, the more I've found others who feel the same.

2.  I once had a pet turkey.  His name was Beep Beep and we raised him from a baby.  He used to follow us around just like a little puppy would.

3.  I'm constantly making lists.  I have notebooks in my purse, next to my bed, on the end table next to my easy chair when I'm watching TV.  Don't know when I started making lists, but now I'm aging (did I really admit that) I don't have to forget what I'm doing because I just have to remember to read my notes!

4.  I hate cooking.  If I never had to go back into the kitchen and make dinner I'd probably do a jig.  My husband laughs because I'll gladly do the clean up if someone else will do the cooking.

5.  I love teddy bears.  In fact, I have one room in my house full of teddy bears.  Actually, nearly every room in my house has some teddy bears, but my living room is so full of them you almost can't sit on the sofa.  Every year my husband gives me a new one for Valentine's Day, and I love it.  He always finds the cutest, cuddly soft teddy bears I've ever seen.

6.  I love to dance, especially a waltz or a polka.  Just wish my husband liked to dance.  Ah well.

7.  I love junior mints -- heck I love chocolate.  I'm definitely a chocoholic.  My motto is, "If it's not chocolate, it aint worth eating" or "Eat dessert first if it's chocolate!"

What things don't people know about you?  I'd love to hear from you.

For more about me and my books, go to my web site:  http://krbailey.com

Have a great day!

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Black Friday Begins

Thanksgiving is over and Black Friday begins the Christmas Season.  Everyone is looking to buy that perfect gift to make someone especially happy at Christmas.  But admidst all the hustle and bustle, sometimes you need to take some time to chill and relax.  My story, My Guardian Angel, is a wonderful, sweet love story.  It's a perfect way to relax, sit back and let your mind forget all the shopping, all the decorating, and all the things you need to get done.  Since it's a novella, you won't have to take several days to read it like you would a novel, so it's a wonderful way to just take some time for yourself.

I've got some great reviews for My Guardian Angel.
Romance Junkies said:  "My Guardian Angel is a truly impressive read...a must buy."
Long and Short Reviews said: "My Guardian Angel is a touching story that definitely pulls at the heartstrings while entertaining the reader."
Erotic Horizons said:  "Simply a wonderful read and I enjoy this one very much."
Between The Lines said:  "This is a wonderful short story... a heart-warming story. I really enjoyed it and know you will too."

 
 
Enjoy an excerpt of My Guardian Angel:
 
Emma felt suddenly shy like a high school girl on her first date.  She scampered towards the house, pausing as she opened the door to look and see if Joe was following her.  He was so close she gasped when his tall lean body brushed up against hers.
 
"Sorry," he mumbled and held the door open.
 
Emma drank in the masculine smell of him, looked up at his full mouth, then ran through the door.  "Have a seat.  Oh, let me take your coat."  She reached quickly and nearly pulled it from his shoulders.  "Would you like some hot chocolate?"  She pushed nervously at her hair, suddenly uncomfortable.  He was a stranger in her house.  She paced, eyes darting over her shoulder to see what he was doing.
 
"Are you uncomfortable with me here?" Joe asked quietly, his eyes never leaving her face.
 
"What?  No.  I...would you prefer I make coffee?" Emma turned towards the sink.  She didn't wait for his reply as she put water in a cup.  Just having him in her home was making her jittery and uncomfortable.
 
"I'd love hot chocolate."
 
"You would?"
 
"Yes, if it's not an imposition."  This time he chuckled at her unease.  "Can I help you with anything?"
 
"Oh, no.  Just have a seat.  Hope you don't mind sitting in the kitchen."
 
He pulled out a wooden kitchen chair with a red-checkered cushion and sat down.  "Not at all."  He noticed the chair cushions matched the bright curtains, thinking it was a very comfortable room.  It fit Emma.  He could picture her serving her family in this room.  A pang of longing filled him.
 
"Here's some cookies.  Wish I could say I made them, but my neighbor brought 'em by."  Emma sat them on the table.  She stood staring at the man sitting in her kitchen, not sure why she felt so nervous.
 
"They're great."  Joe smiled up at Emma.  "Aren't you going to join me?"
 
"Ah, yeah."  Emmna nodded and retrieved the cups of hot chocolate fresh from the microwave.  She glanced uneasily around her kitchen, thinking everything looked a little dated.  Perhaps she should consider some remodeling.  It was something she and Henry had discussed many times but never seemed to find the time or money to do.  She wondered what Joe thought about being in her old kitchen, then pushed the thought from her mind.  Did it really matter what he thought?
 
********************************
Take some time for yourself and give yourself the gift of a great story.  My Guardian Angel is the answer to a great read.  My Guardian Angel is available through The Wild Rose Press, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
 
Happy Reading!  Happy Holidays!
 
For more about my stories, go to my web site at http://krbailey.com
 
 



Sunday, November 11, 2012

Thought For the Week

I love thoughts as you might can tell from my blog.  I'm always looking for new thoughts or cute stories I can share.

I found this on a friend's blog, and I wanted to share it with you.  Don't know who wrote it, but I thought it was great.

Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles,
It takes away today's peace.

Isn't that great? How many times have you ruined the here and now worrying about something that might happen tomorrow?  I think we all have at one time.  It's something I have to work on.  Maybe you do too. Today is too precious to waste. 

 So here's my advice -- take time to enjoy today and let tomorrow take care of itself.
Spend time with good friends and family.  Do things you like to do whether it be taking a long walk, driving through the mountains, walking on the beach or going to a movie. 

And last but not least -- Always find time to read a good book!

http://KRBailey.com

Thursday, November 1, 2012

The Sweetest Romance Awards Contest

There's new contest out for writers of sweet romance.  This contest is for published and unpublished authors and there are great prizes for first, second and third place winners. 

Here's some more information. 

 
Sweetest Romance Awards Contest
If you are a true sweet romance writer, we have the contest for you!

Guidelines:
For published and unpublished authors. (Published entries must be copyrighted 2010 or later.)
Submit your first 10 pages inside the body of your email. (No attachments.)
Entries must be received by December 15, 2012.
Please put SWEETEST ROMANCE AWARDS in subject line.
Cost to enter is $10.00 per entry.
Payment must be made through Paypal.
Winners will be announced on Valentine’s Day, February, 2013.

Prizes
First Place: A $25.00 egift card to Barnes and Noble or Amazon, a critique by the acquisitions editor at Sweet Cravings Publishing (a division of Secret Cravings Publishing), a printed award certificate, your choice of two books by published sweet romance authors, social media promotion, and an award button to display on website or blog.
Second Place: A $15.00 egift card to Barnes and Noble or Amazon, a free critique by one of the judges, a printed award certificate, social media promotion, and an award button to display on website or blog.
Third Place: A $10.00 egift card to Barnes and Noble or Amazon, a free critique by one of the judges, a printed award certificate, social media promotion, and an award button to display on website or blog

Pass the info around.  Be sure and tell your writer friends.  I've agreed to be one of the judges and I'm really excited about this.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

You Complete Me

You Complete Me is on the best seller list for Bookstrand.  How cool is that?  It's still not too late to get your e-book.

Have you ever wondered about the characters in a book before you bought the book to decide whether they're someone you can relate to?  Here's a few facts that might help you decide to buy my book, You Complete Me.

Whitney Wilkinson is 32 years old and already she's been through a abusive marriage but can't convince her mother that she wants her ex-husband out of her life for good.  She's still trying to accept that her 18 month old daughter is dead.  She tried to get her medical help, but it was too late by the time she got her to the hospital.  She's struggled for nearly three years to create a new life with a job she loves as a teacher.

Dante Logan lost his wife to cancer, and their 7 year old son, Jeffry, is having a terrible time accepting that his mother is gone forever.  Dante's in-laws are upset because he sold the family home and moved him and Jeffry to a new home that's not full of old memories.

My characters have suffered some terrible things just as we all have done, but they are moving on, they are creating new lives, and when they run into each other again, they realize that their old feelings of attraction surface.

But it would be too easy to just let them have a happily after after right now -- so I've added a few disasters.  Jeffry goes missing.  A stranger seems to be following Whitney.  On top of everything else, the stranger knows something that will shake Whitney to her very core. 

Okay, before I give the plot away, you'll have to read my book to find out what happens.  It's a great story.  It's a multi-racial romance with some twists and turns I hope you'll enjoy.

You Complete Me is only available at Bookstrand.com for the next few weeks.  After that, you will be able to find it on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.  The print version will be available later on.

For more information about me and my books, check out my website at http://KRBailey.com

Happy Reading!

Monday, October 8, 2012

The Rancher

 
I just finished The Rancher by Kelli Ann Morgan.  She is a fantastic author.  Her characters are fun, spunky, well-developed, and I just had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next.  If you love westerns with a fiesty heroine, handsome cowboys, and beautiful ranches in a Colorado setting, you’ve got to read The Rancher.  It’s book one and I can’t wait for the next one.

Here's a short blurb:

The deal was to share the ranch, not her heart...
ABBY MCCALLISTER can ride and shoot better than any man she’s ever met, but when the threat of losing her ranch forces her to find a husband, she is unprepared for the mysterious stranger who takes her hand and evokes in her a sudden desire to be a lady fit for his arm.
He'd sworn to protect her. He couldn't do that if she married someone else...
COLE REDBOURNE, immersed in guilt over the accident that claimed his best friend, discovers there was nothing accidental about it. When he sets out for Silver Falls, Colorado, to fulfill his friend’s dying wish and to flush out his killer, the last thing he expected was to find hope again disguised as his impromptu bride.

The Rancher is available through Amazon.com. She's getting some wonderful reviews and after reading her book, I can understand why. It's a fun read that will keep you reading until the end. Then you will want more. I'm sure glad she's planning on a Book 2.

Check out her website at www.Kelliannmorgan.com

Friday, September 28, 2012

The Next Big Thing Blog


A good friend and fantastic author, Cindy Christiansen, asked me to participate in this blog hop, and I'm thrilled to join her.
My newest story is still a work in progress, but here's a few fun facts about it.

What is the working title of your book?  A Perfect Catch

Where did the idea come from for the book?

Early this spring, I was driving with my hubby and when we drove past Pineview Dam (up Ogden Canyon), there were a bunch of ice fishermen, and I thought it might be fun to have a heroine who loves fishing.  At that time, the story was going to be a light romance, but my characters seem to have a life of their own and the story has become a bit of a mystery.

What genre does your book fall under? Contemporary Romance

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Reece Witherspoon would be great as my heroine, Erin.  She’s sassy, determined, and all woman. 
 I can picture Matthew McConaughey as Justin.  He’s loveable, but when he suddenly disappears, Erin learns he hasn’t been totally honest. 
 K.C is searching for Justin and the last thing he wants is to fall in love.  I think John Lucas would be perfect as K.C.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
When Erin goes fishing for the love of her life, she’s going to have to sift through the lies, look closely into her heart, and be willing to accept love before she finds her perfect catch.
 
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I’ll probably publish through an e-publisher like Bookstrand Publishing or The Wild Rose Press.  They design my covers, provide knowledgeable editors, and format my stories into both e-books as well as print books. I love working with them.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?  It’s still a work in progress.  It’s nearing completion, but it keeps growing, and the characters keep doing things I hadn’t planned for them.  So far it’s taken me about six weeks.  Hopefully, I’ll find the time to get those characters doing what I’d planned so I can get my manuscript finished in the next few weeks.  Cross your fingers for me!

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? There’s so many wonderful authors out there that it’s hard to compare myself to them.  I'd love to be included in the same class as authors like RaeAnn Thayne, Nora Roberts, and LaVeryl Spencer.
 
Who or What inspired you to write this book?  I’m married into a fishing family.  I like fishing, but they won't get me out on the ice.  My husband used to ice fish, my son and grandson still love going ice fishing.  It’s not the cold that bothers me, it’s the cracking of the ice that keeps me off.  (I'm a chicken about that!)  I also love books with a bit of intrique and mystery and a small mountain town in the middle of winter seemed to be a perfect place to create a story.  

What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?  If you love quaint, small towns nestled in the mountains and a lovely old bed and breakfast, you’ll want to read my story.  My heroine loves to fish, often catching enough for supper at the inn.  There’s two handsome men that she must choose between, one who has had her heart for over two years and one who shows up and shakes up her life when he convinces her she’s been lied to.  There's a fun-loving Pub where the town loves to meet, laugh, dance and tell fishing tales. There’s some intrique when strange things start happening at the inn, and there’s love.  I’d say, there’s a little bit of everything a romance needs to keep you turning the pages.
 
Want to learn more about another great author?  Check out the link below:
Cindy A. Christiansen - http://www.dragonflyromance.com

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Life Is Like A Book

Life is like a book
Some sad, some happy, some exciting
If you never turn a page,
You will never know what the next chapter holds.

My niece posted this on her facebook page.  I don't know who wrote it, but I love it.  As we travel through life, we have to experience a myriad of emotions, and hopefully, at day's end, it will be worth it.  As an author, all of these things are needed to make my stories interesting and keep the readers involved.  Sometimes we have to struggle to accomplish that, but don't you agree it takes all types of emotions to keep you reading?

In my newest book, You Complete Me, my heroine, Whitney, has had to overcome some really sad things - loss of a child, a terrible divorce, tension with her mother.  Life is hard to juggle all these types of things, and I've tried to put her emotional pull in this story.

My hero, Dante, has lost his wife and is struggling to make a new home for his son.  His son, Jeffry, misses his mother and is trying hard to understand what has happened.  We can all understand these types of things, right?

When Whitney and Dante reunite, there's happiness and excitement, new feelings, and love.  What they have to overcome becomes a struggle.  Okay, I won't tell you more, but I hope you'll check out my newest book on October 4 -- You Complete Me.

You Complete Me will be available in all e-book formats through Bookstrand.com and I hope as you read, it will make you want to keep turning the pages to find out what the next chapter holds.

For more information about You Complete Me or any of my other books, please visit my website at:
http://KRBailey.com

Happy Reading!

Saturday, September 8, 2012

You Complete Me

I just received the cover picture for my newest book, You Complete Me.  What do you think?
My book, You Complete Me, will be released on October 4, 2012 in all e-book formats through Bookstrand.com. 

This was a book I struggled with, rewrote several times, but now I'm thrilled at the way it has turned out.  Here's a brief blurb:

Whitney is trying to forget her abusive marriage and daughter's death.
Jeffry needs a new mommy.
Dante is struggling to make a home for him and his son
Just when things seem to be perfect
Whitney's life is ripped from under her.
What she learns will change her life forever.

Check out my book, You Complete Me.  I'd love to hear your comments.

For more information on my other books, go to my website:  http://KRBailey.com

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Don't You Love Classic Cars?

This is a picture of our 1955 Chevy BelAir.  It's considered a classic car, and we love it.  My grandkids call it our "new old car" and I call it our "ice cream car", but no matter what, it's kind of fun to go cruising in it, windows down because there isn't any air conditioning, and watch people wave or give us a high sign.  Oh, we don't drive it everywhere, but we do enjoy it when we do get it out.  Course, the older cars don't have all the bells and whistles of our new cars.  Our '55 doesn't have power steering which sometimes makes my husband say a few unmentionable words, and it doesn't have power brakes so you do have to work a bit when we go for a ride.  But does it matter -- no way.  It's fun to let the wind blow through my hair and just have a good ride.

I love the old cars because they have a distinctive style that we don't see in today's cars.  It's that uniqueness that makes them special, and I started comparing it to writers because it's their uniqueness that makes their books stand out.  It's hard to be different and come up with new ideas, but if you're a reader, I'm sure you've experienced that special story that hooks you and it's because an author found a way to create it a little differently than another author.  Ideally, every story written is unique or special, but often things can be missing that don't draw you in.

What's the reason for writing this?  I have to admit, I'm not exactly sure, but we've been taking alot of time pulling the chrome and getting our car ready for a new paint job.  While we were doing it, I found myself thinking that sometimes an author needs to spend some extra time to dissect their story to make them more appealing.  They need to fix the little flaws the same way we're trying to fix the flaws in our car. 

Perhaps you're not a writer -- whatever you do, whatever your passion, take the time to decide what makes you unique, what things you do that are different, and every once in awhile, find some time to dissect what you do to fix the flaws. 

I have a new book coming out in October titled, You Complete Me.  I had a story idea, and I love writing, but something didn't fit as I tried to put it together.  I had to find something to make it a little unique, and I think I did.  I had to dissect the characters and fix the flaws that I originally had in the story, but the time was worth it.  At least I hope you feel it was.  I'm happy with the way the story turned out.  Watch for it from Bookstrand.com in October.

If you get a minute, check out my website at http://KRBailey.com - It has information on all my stories and where you can find them as well as my bio and other information.  I'd love to hear from you.

And if you get a minute, check out a classic old car!

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

I Got News!

Just a bit of news I wanted to share.  I just signed a contract for my next story, You Complete Me.  It should be released in e-book formats in October and in print a few weeks later.  Woo Hoo!

It's always fun to know that someone is willing to take your hard work and publish it.  This story definitely made me work to get it completed.  People laugh - and I used to - when authors told me their characters had a mind of their own and took them places they didn't want their story to go.  Well, guess what?  That's exactly what my characters did in this story.  But, I stayed with it (or them) and my story is completed.  I'm excited for it to be released.

Here's a brief blurb:
Whitney is trying to forget her abusive marriage and daughter's death.
Jeffry needs a new mommy
When she runs into an old flame, things seems to be perfect
But Whitney's life is ripped from under her and
What she learns will change her life forever.

The story definitely has a few twists and turns I didn't originally plan for, but I hope you will enjoy the book.

Watch for You Complete Me from Bookstrand Publishing in October.  It will be available a few weeks later from Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.

Happy Reading!

If you get a minute, check out my web site for more information on all my books at:
http://KRBailey.com


Monday, July 23, 2012

Thought for the Day

Love at First Sight is easy to understand.
It's when two people
Have been looking at each other for years
That it becomes a miracle.
          ----Unknown

Isn't this the truth?
There's nothing like the excitement of new love, the pounding of your heart when you see that special someone for the first time.  But after being together for years, you get to be comfortable and know what makes a person tick.  Isn't it a miracle to still be able to love and continue loving.

I hope everyone gets to experience that "love at first sight."
Then I wish for everyone that miracle of long-lasting, long-sharing love of being together for years.

My aunt and uncle had been married over seventy-two years.  It's hard to believe people can remain in love after all that time, but they were.  My folks were together for more than fifty years.  They were still in love when we lost my mom.  Isn't that a wonderful miracle?

I wish you all the miracle of falling in love.  May your love become a miracle after years of togetherness.

K. R. Bailey
http://KRBailey.com

Thursday, July 12, 2012

I'M HAVING A BOOKSIGNING!

I'm scheduled for a booksigning on July 17.  It's exciting because I'll have copies of my newest book, Secrets of Wolf Creek Pass, along with copies of my older books, Murder and Lies, Never Too Late, My Love and Dangerous Deception.  This booksigning is at a hospital, yes, I said the hospital in Bountiful, Utah.  I raised my eyebrows when I first signed up and found out we're signing books at a hospital, but then I got to thinking, how often are you at a hospital and sitting, waiting, wishing you had something to read?  Perhaps you wish you had a small gift for a patient.  Books are perfect.  I think all of us have been there, so it will be interesting to see how this one turns out.

Let's talk about booksignings.  Here's some things I've been told:

1.  Don't sit at the table waiting for people to come to you.  They probably won't.  It's intimidating to approach a table where an author sits staring surrounded by her books just wanting to scream out, buy one, please.  Okay, I have sat at the table, but I make sure to make eye contact with people, smile, and ask them if they like to read or if they'd like some candy.  I chuckle because I love to have a bowl of candy kisses on my table.  Chocolate seems to draw in people, young and old.  The little kids want candy and drag their parents, grandma, or aunt over to the table.  Perfect chance to smile and make conversation.  If men come in, I usually ask if they'd like a kiss from a romance author.  Sometimes you get a blush from those big strapping men.  Other times they just laugh and accept the candy.  And once in awhile, they admit they're looking to buy a gift for their girlfriend or wife or significant other.  Opens the door to talk to people.

2.  Know where the restrooms, drinking fountain and exits are.  You'll be helpful.  People will appreciate it.  Offer them a card to remember you. 

3.  Find a way to talk to potential buyers.  Work the room.  Make the first move to say hello.  Ask what they like to read.  Find a way to converse with the public, and remember, you want them to remember you.

4.  I took a class from Marcia James on PR amd it was great.  If you ever have the opportunity too take one of her classes, they're definitely worth it.  Anyway, I remember she said the success of a booksigning is not how many books you sell but to get your name out there.  When people see your name and start to recognize you, then they'll go looking for your books.  A booksigning is the perfect way to get your name in front of the public.

At this booksigning, I'm going to have a drawing for a free copy of my book, Murder and Lies.  It's the first time I've done this so I'm hoping it will generate some interest.   Have any of you authors ever done this and did it work for you?

I'd love to hear from my readers.  What things do you like to see an author do at a booksigning?
Authors, what have you found works the best for you?

Help me out please.

Happy Reading!

http://KRBailey.com

Friday, July 6, 2012

Letting Love Win


Alysia S Knight has a new book, Letting Love Win, expected to be released by Crimson Romance on July 16.  She’s going to be my guest blogger the same week it comes out so be sure and stop back by and learn about this new author. 
 In the meantime, here a blurb from her new book, Letting Love Win:
There’s a Will and Rand Monroe’s found a way around it. To retain ownership of Roe Technology, his grandfather’s Will stipulates an heir, not marriage. Rand hires a surrogate to have his child. Things are looking good until the surrogate changes her mind at the last minute, and there’s a power failure.

Delivering a flower arrangement to her doctor’s office leads to Kiley Adams getting a pap smear, but when the lights go out, she gets a whole lot more. Now the innocent is faced with being pregnant before ever making love to a man. The father of her baby is a man who’s used to getting things he wants. It quickly becomes evident that he wants her.

Things might not be so bad if she hadn’t started falling in love with him the first moment she hit him in the head with a door at the doctor’s office. It also might be easier if someone wasn’t out to kill her.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Secrets of Wolf Creek Pass

I'm excited.  My newest story, Secrets of Wolf Creek Pass, is now available in paperback as well as all e-book formats.

 You can order a print copy through Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.com.  If you need an e-book format not available on Amazon or Barnes and Noble, go to Bookstrand.com and you can find it most all e-book formats.

This is a Bookstrand Romantic Suspense and a small blurb follows:

 When five-year-old Anna Burke goes missing in the rugged mountains of Wolf Creek Pass, can a stranger understand the clues and find her? To survive the pain and loss of her own daughter's kidnapping and murder, Layne Youngman has closed her heart to everything but helping others find their missing children. As she begins her search, it appears nearly everyone has a secret. Rhys Burke is struggling to survive a bitter divorce. When Anna disappears while in his care, he is consumed with guilt and desperate to find his daughter. What he isn't prepared for is the petite woman investigator who strikes a fire in his heart unlike anything he's ever experienced. Together they must find a way to unravel the clues, overcome the obstacles, and concentrate on finding Anna. What they don't realize is the challenge may be more than they can handle.

For an excerpt, go to Bookstrand.com and read more!

I'd love to hear how you liked my story.  Happy Reading!

Sunday, June 10, 2012

7 Days in Utopia


Last night my husband and I were watching a movie titled, 7 Days in Utopia, with Robert Duvall and Lucas Black.  Lucas plays the part of a young golfer who loses his cool, runs away and ends up in a car crash in Utopia.  Robert Duvall is a retired golfer who owns the field where the car crash happens.  Anyway, Robert Duvall has learned a lot from life and dares Lucas to spend seven days in Utopia and Robert Duval guarantees he can help him with his golf game.

As I listened to the various things Robert Duvall tries to teach the young golfer, I found those teachings apply to life, to the things we want to do as authors and writers.  I’d like to share a few of them with you.

1.  Find some conviction.  He goes on to say that without conviction, an off-handed comment can erode your confidence.  Isn’t that true?  I’ve read some e-mails on one of the loops I’m a member of about how devastated a young author was because a reader gave them a bad review or didn’t rate their story as high as they thought it should be.  Writing can be a tough business.  Every day we have to sit down and tell our stories and hope that everyone will like them.  I guarantee you, not everyone will, and that’s a hard fact to swallow.  But if we have conviction that we’re doing what we want to do, doing the best we can, developing our stories and characters, we’ll find readers and some of them will not only like the story, they’ll love it.  Remember, the reason why we started writing -- Conviction.  If you’re doing what you dreamed of doing, the rest will follow.

2.  Find rhythm, balance and patience.  Wow, how many times have we been told we have to find rhythm and balance in our stories.  Don’t provide too many facts too soon.  Make sure the story has a rhythm, a step-by-step plot that builds tension, pulls the reader in, yet has balance throughout.  Don’t tell the reader too much too fast.  Patience is required to do that.  Develop the skills required.  Find that emotional control to not rush things.

3.  If you want to play like a professional – act like one.  I’ve heard this over and over again.  If you believe you are an author, be one.  If you have written the greatest story of all time, show the world you’re a fantastic author.  Be professional in all you do.  Treat your craft as a professional because if you are writing and are striving to be published, you are a professional.

4.  Start with a blank canvas, think with your mind, then draw it.  In our case, write the story.  I don’t know about most of you, but I have to visualize a scene, the dialogue, the characters’ reactions to everything before I can sit down and put the words on paper.  It works best for me.  I remember reading where an author was determined to push her output from 2,000 words a day to over 10,000 words a day.  How did she do it?  She thought out what she wanted to write before she sat down and put it on paper.   So I recommend, get out that blank piece of paper or blank computer screen after you have thought out what you want to say.  Once you’ve done that, start writing.  It works.

5.  Have respect for tradition and passion for the truth.  We’ve all been told that we can’t do something the way we want to, that it hasn’t been done, that the publishers, readers, editors, etc, won’t accept it because it breaks with tradition.  Well, I believe we need to respect the tried and true, the traditional ways, but then we need to find the truth of what we want to do and go for it.  Find that passion that you once had and run with it.  The publishing world has changed so much in these last few years that sometimes it’s hard to find the traditional ways so I say, if it works for you, go for it with a passion.

6.  Confidence comes with being prepared.  Boy is that the truth.  Have you ever had to get up and speak to a crowd?  I have, and let me tell you, if I’m not prepared with notes, history, and a few things I want to talk about, it’s hard.  But if I’ve done my homework, prepared my notes, I can speak in front of people with the best of them.  So, be prepared.  Do your best.  Find passion for what you’re doing.  Confidence will follow you.

7.  The main theme of the movie I watched was:

See it
Feel it
Trust it

Think about it.  If you can see it and feel it, you can trust it.  If you can trust it, you believe.  If you believe, you’ll succeed.

Have a good one! 

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Thought for the Day

Life is short
Break the rules
Forgive Quickly
Kiss slowly
Love truly, laugh uncontrollably
And never regret anything that made you smile

This month is the anniversary of the death of a wonderful friend of mine, and it made me think about life and how quickly things can change.  When I read this thought, it made me think that too often I try to go by all the rules that have been pushed at me throughout my life.  Sometimes by doing so, I don't take the time to laugh and enjoy things that make me happy.  I need to find time each day for little things that I enjoy and I urge each of you to do the same.

May each of you find something that makes you happy.  Take a moment and enjoy it.  Remember to tell those you love how much you care, and then kiss them often, kiss them slowly, and don't spend time regretting the things you enjoyed.

Be happy!

Saturday, March 24, 2012

I Love Books!

You know you have read a good book when you turn the last page and feel like you are saying good-bye to a friend.
       Anonymous

I love reading.  I love great books.  I love writing books.   When I read the quote that author RaeAnne Thayne put on one of her bookmarks, I knew exactly what she was saying.  When an author develops a hero and heroine that I want to cheer for, then she has done her job.  

When I finish a story, I've gotten so close to the thoughts and feelings of my characters that I hate to say goodbye to them.  Each one has their story to be told, and by the time the story is complete, I almost feel sad to move on.  But that is life.  Each day is a new challenge with its own sets of problems and discoveries.  Great books are the same, and every time I pick up a new book, I'm looking forward to meeting someone new, experiencing new places, feeling new problems, but always, I want to fall in love all over again.  I guess that's why I love romance.  Each book is unique.  Each hero and heroine have their own issues to overcome, but always, there will be a happily ever after.

So, I guess bottom line of all my rambling today is I wish you the very best.  May you find characters in your life that you just can't let go off.  May you find ways to experience new, happy things every day.  And most of all, I wish you a happily ever after.

Find a good book.  Take time to experience the love, the laughter, the tension, and the happy ever after.  It will definitely be worth your time.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

You Can Do Anything

Yes, you can do anything you set your mind to.  I believe it, and you need to believe it also.

I read a small article in the March AARP bulletin and I'd like to quote it.  Great story.

Author, Author
Jim Henry conquered illiteracy in his mid-90s.  Now he's the author of a book at 98.  "Never, never give up on anything even if what you're doing feels impossible," says Henry, a retired lobsterman in Mystic, Conn.  His self-published In a Fisherman's Language recounts his life through 29 stories.  The first two printings sold out, but his website, fishermanslanguage.com, is accepting orders for a third printing.  (author unknown)

Isn't that just the best thing you've read lately?  I know sometimes I get discouraged, thinking that I started too late in life to get published.  Sometimes I spend my time envying other big name authors like James Patterson, Nora Roberts, Karen Robards, and RaeAnn Thayne.  Sometimes I feel that I just don't have the time, the energy, etc, to succeed.  But then I see something like the above article, and I kick myself back into my computer chair and start working again, because I can succeed.  So can you.

Now, I didn't say it was easy.  Hey, is anything ever easy?  Not usually.  Every dream takes some work to achieve.  Every goal requires stamina, stick-to-it desire, and work to accomplish.  Tell yourself you can do it -- and do it.  Take baby steps and soon they'll turn into giant leaps.

One of my favorite says is:

 If it is to be, it's up to me.

 I love that saying because it is so true.  Every time I think I can't, I read that and remember, I can if I want to and if I'm willing to do what it takes.

I retired after over 30 years.  All those years I dreamed of writing and seeing one of my stories in print.  I joined Romance Writers of America.  I signed up for a few classes, and I started writing. I attended some writing conferences and listened to success stories.  I fought envy and then remembered to tell my friends congratulatons.  One day I decided to submit a story.  A friend talked me into it late one night as we were working on a contest.  I bit the bullet.  Sent in the query letter.  After some rewrites, edits, and lots of work, it got published.  I jumped for joy, then sat back down and kept on writing.  I feel I'm succeeding.  So can you.

Remember:

If it is to be, it's up to me.

Repeat that over and over again.  Post it next to your computer, your easy chair, wherever you spend time and need some encouragement.  Then put a plan into action.  Take the first step.

Good luck.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Today is Release Day

TODAY IS RELEASE DAY

Secrets of Wolf Creek Pass is being released today through http://Bookstrand.com/Secrets-of-Wolf-Creek-Pass

You can obtain your copy of Secrets of Wolf Creek Pass for 10%  off for a limited time.  It's a great way to save some money and get your copy of my e-book today.

Here's a brief story blurb for Secrets of Wolf Creek Pass:

To survive the pain and loss of her own daughter’s kidnapping and murder, Layne Youngman has closed her heart to everything but helping others find their missing children. As she begins her search, it appears nearly everyone has a secret.


Rhys Burke is struggling to survive a bitter divorce. When Anna disappears while in his care, he is consumed with guilt and desperate to find his daughter. What he isn’t prepared for is the petite woman investigator who strikes a fire in his heart unlike anything he’s ever experienced.

Together they must find a way to unravel the clues, overcome the obstacles, and concentrate on finding Anna. What they don’t realize is the challenge may be more than they can handle.

Monday, February 20, 2012

The Log Line Blog

Do you love to hear about new books like I do?

Check out the Log Line Blog.  I'll be spotlighting my book, Murder and Lies, on February 26.  Stop by.  You can also find out about alot of other interesting reads while you're there. 

They have a monthly contest where they give a random commentor a $20 gift certificate to Amazon or ARe.  Don't miss out on that!

The address is:  http://theloglineblog.blogspot.com

Friday, February 10, 2012

Secrets of Wolf Creek Pass

I just got the new cover for my next story -- Secrets of Wolf Creek Pass.  Had to let everyone know that Secrets of Wolf Creek Pass will be available at Bookstrand.com in all types of electronic formats the end of this month.

Here's my cover for Secrets of Wolf Creek Pass.  What do you think?

Friday, January 27, 2012

Great Review - Murder and Lies

Don't you love getting a message with a wonderful surprise?  I got just that - a great review for my newest book, Murder and Lies.  4.5 stars from The Long and Short of It Reviews - woo hoo!


Here's a little bit of what they said:

"A matter of trust, a matter of the heart.  Murder and Lies does deliver on the suspenseful mystery, but doubly so on the feelings of the heart.  This is an absolutely gripping romance.  A must read for sure."

Here's the link - check out the entire review.

http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2012/01/murder-and-lies-by-kr-bailey.html

I'm having a great day.  Hope you are too.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

I Love Hummingbirds

A friend sent me an e-mail with some wonderful pictures of an albino hummingbird.  I had to share some of them.

I think hummingbirds are one of my favorite birds.  They have such energy.  Wouldn't it be nice if someone found a way to bottle up their energy and sell it?  Think of all that you could get accomplished.


We have hummingbirds that come in to feed at our cabin and it's fun to watch them.  My little grandkids think its fun to see the tiny birds and try to touch them.  Sometimes they get lucky and can hold their fingers out and the bird will come close enough so the kids can feel their wings flit across their fingers.


Aren't these birds beautiful?  I've seen different hummingbirds before, but never an albino.
I hope you enjoy these pictures.  Have a great day.  Spend time doing good things.  Most of all, do things that bring you happiness.  Be happy.


Thursday, January 12, 2012

Thought for the Day

I got this in a fortune cookie last weekend, and I thought it was an awesome one.  So, here's a thought for this week:

Do not rush through life.
Pause and enjoy it.

How many of you slow down and take time to enjoy the many challenges, accomplishments and moments that make you smile.  When your kids want to play, do you take the time to play with them?  When you husband wants to just sit and hold your hand or go for a walk, do you find the time to relax and enjoy being with him?  If a friend calls wanting to go to lunch, do you set aside whatever you're doing and take the time to go?  Do you find the time to stop and watch the sun set and enjoy the beautiful evening?

I know its hard to enjoy the little things in life.  It seems there's always so much to do that it's difficult to sit back but I hope you do.  I know I'm going to try harder each day to slow down and I challenge you to do the same. 

As we head into a new year, put this on your resolution list.  Add it to the goals you've set for yourself.  Take time to appreciate what you have.  Pause now and again and enjoy your life.

Here's wishing you a great day.

Happy reading -- take time to enjoy a bood book.  I plan to.