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!

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

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!

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

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

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

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.