My special guest today is Karen Kelley! Karen is celebrating the release of her latest romance, HOW TO SEDUCE A TEXAN.
We're going to have a great time today with questions and answers, girl talk, and knowing Karen, an abundance of laughs! So don't be shy, ok? Karen is offering up some great prizes - two copies each of CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE SEXY KIND (new mass market release) and HOW TO SEDUCE A TEXAN - woohoo!
Let's get the party started with questions, comments, and chatter about Karen's books. If you haven't read any of Karen's work, that's fine - this will be a fun introduction!
I'm at work today, but will pop in as often as possible.
Welcome, Karen!
41 comments:
Hello Karen and Laurie,
First, what a cover for "How to Seduce a Texan". Can I take him home? LOL My question is do you picture a real person for your characters or do they just come from your imagination? Have a great day.
Hi Everyone!
I'll be popping in throughout the day so if you want to just say hi or ask questions that would be great.
Karen
LOL We crossed, housemouse.
I hunt through scads of pictures when I'm hunting for my characters. As soon as I find them, they go into a notebook. As I write, I fill the book with all kinds of info that I can refer back to.
I love Kensington covers! They always do a wonderful job. I showed my daughter this cover and said I loved the way his jeans were frayed. She said, Oh, I didn't notice LOL
Karen
I love your books. And I love the cover of How to Seduce a Texan - cannot wait to read it. Would love to win a copy of it.
Hope everyone had a great holiday.
Pat L.
Hi Karen-
Great to "see" you here. I am really looking forward to reading "How To Seduce A Texan". I love your writing in all forms but my question involves your change in writing direction if you will.
Your first books I would classify as romantic suspense and you wrote that genre very well. Among my favorites will alwasy be Tempature's Rising. Anyway your latest books are all paranormal in theme. Why the switch and do you have plans to write RS again.
Thanks
I forgot my question. Duh.
What authors are your favs to read and are there any books you read that you will never ever forget?
Pat L.
Hi Pat L---I think I could listen to you all day LOL
Hi Barbara, I think in my earlier books I was getting rid of my own angst LOL I do love romantic suspense and would like to write more of it.
When I sent my editor Close Encounters of the Sexy Kind she fell in love with my aliens and wanted to see more--lots more LOL Hmmm, aliens and suspense, that might be an idea.
Karen
Oh, wow, fav authors---I have so many! I just finished a fantastic book from Jennifer Lyons, Blood Magic. Absolutely great. Also The Warrior by Sharon Sala. I always buy her books and thay always deliver. PC & Kristin Cast YA. That's what I've recently read. I have too many favs to list.
Karen
Good morning, ladies! Great question about characters, mouse! Do any of you ever see someone in a magazine or on a commercial and think that they look like someone from a book? Hmmm, I hadn't notice the fraying jeans either, Karen - will have to take a much closer look! No idea why I was distracted . . .
I agree w/Barb that your rom. suspense are great, Karen. My fave of all of your books is still HELL ON WHEELS. Looking forward to hanging with you in a couple of weeks, Barb!
Thanks for stopping, Pat - I love having you here! So many of us love Karen's books, don't we?
LOL You're so funny, Lurie! And so sweet! I'm off to write for a bit but I'll pop back in a little later.
Karen
Morning Karen!
I just popped over to your site to check your coming soons and my question is
Your December release (and srsly--do I have to wait that long? *g*) Dating Outside Your DNA, is that a Planet Nerak book or something new or an off-shoot of that series?
Laura J.
Darn. I didn't notice the frayed jeans either. I wonder who picks the covers...the author or the publisher? Sometimes I am frustrated because the guy on the cover does not look like my image of the hero in the book.As a reader that is annoying, but it must be worse for the author. Do you get to pick?
I love to read stories about Texans and have added this one to my TBR list for the summer.
My question is
What famous Texan, dead or alive, would you like to meet and why?
JOYE
JWIsleyATaol.com
Hey, Karen - I love Texans and I love this cover! Wishing you milions of sales. :)
Janice
Hi Karen,
I saw you were blogging here today and thought I'd pop over to say HI!
:)
Melissa
Laura J, Dating Outside Your DNA is the last Planet Nerak book. I'm working on a new series that will feature shapeshifting aliens. The new series debuts in April 2010 with The Jaguar Prince.
Simone, no I don't get to pick--darn. It would be fun if authors did get to choose their cover model.
Famous Texans...hmmm, not sure. There are famous people I'd like to have met. Like Wyatt Earp. I think he's so interesting. My great great grandfather was a Texas Ranger. Not famous but I would have liked to know him.
Aww, thanks, Janice! Back at ya, girl!
Hi Melissa! Thanks so much for stopping by.
Okay, I'm off to find more coffee! LOL Karen
Hi, Karen - I too love your stories and love to read about the sexy Texan Cowboys. Please keep entertaining us with your books.
Count me in for the draw; have been waiting to read this.
Rose G.
Love the cover and would like to be included for the draw!
Just wanted to say hi - love your covers!
Good afternoon!
Thanks to everyone who stopped by!
My question for Karen - I know you and Karl live in Texas, but is that where you grew up? I know you and Karl have been together a long time and that he's crucial in all aspects of your work, but what about your family? Do your kids read your books? If I were to write the kind of books that I like to read, my daughters would cringe if they had to read them, just as I would rather pluck my eyebrows than read what they enjoy.
Karen-
I love the PC and Kristin Cast series. Very well written and holds the readers attention.
Is there a genre you would like to write that you haven't tackeled yet?
I love that you are doing another series in 2010. Also excited they are doing reprints in mass market of the alien series. They have very eye catching covers...although I haven't spotted the first in the stores yet....which is good I guess because it's official street date is June I think. Do you find that rereleases bring about a whole new slew of fans for a particular book?
What do you like doing in your free time? If you weren't a writer what job would you have?
Hi Rose, Thanks for your wonderful words!
Hi Tetewa, I think Kensington does some of the best covers!
Hi Karen B, Thanks so much!
Hi Laurie D, Yes, we've lived in small Texas towns most of our lives. This one for 26 years.
Oh, yeah, a long, long, long time LOL 40 years in Aug. I tell people we met as kids, got married, then grew up together :)
My son supports me 100% and his wife reads all my books. My daughter also reads my books and my sil brags about me. Who could ask for anything more? I've been very lucky. Family is everything to Karl and I and we passed that down to our children.
Barb, you always have the best questions, I'm so jealous.
Hi Laurie and Karen,
I haven't had a chance to read Karen's books (my library doesn't carry them) but I would love to though.
Thanks for a chance to win books.
Terri W.
Hi Karen & Laurie,
I thought for sure that was Karl on the cover of "How to Seduce a Texan"!
Do you have a scene in your mind that you haven't been able to fit into one of your stories yet? If so, can you give us a hint what it is about?
I love your books.
Barbara, I'd love to write YA. I absolutely love it. I have to be careful I don't go off in a zillion directions because there's so much about different genres that I love.
You bet on the new fans! Any time an author can get their name out there they have the potential to snag another fan :)
I used to love to paint and sketch, but if I had to make a living at it I'm afraid I'd be a starving artist. I still have my nurses license and I enjoyed that, but nothing compares to writing.
In my free time I like to go to tea rooms, antique stores, the beach for vacations, fishing...
Terri, you're welcome. Try asking your library to stock them :) Who knows, maybe they will.
Karen
Can't wait to read How To Seduce A Texan!
Hey Karen. I love all your books. Have them all. I had to check out those jeans On How to seduce a texan. LOL
I am sure my daily hotties help you. LOL
are you ever going to come to Ohio?
Karen thanks for your interesting answers to my questions. I bet you would be good at your own YA series. BTW if you really like that genre you might try The Summening by Kelley Armstrong if you haven't already. The second in the series The Awakening was just released this past month ad I haven't picked it ip yet but I really enjoyed The Summening and am anxious to read the next in the series.
Laurie- lol on the questions. You know though my favorite part about country/soap/fan type magazines are the questions or the ones that ask someone sonething like tell us 25 things we would be surprised to know about you type thing. Hate to answer stuff about myself but love to read what other people have to say about things. Oh and you ask great questions to Laurie.
Gee, I didn't notice the frayed jeans either, I guess I was looking elsewhere. I love your aliens, and hope you keep those books coming. How to Seduce a Texan sounds great too, I'm looking forward to reading it.
Susan, funny, thanks for the laugh. Actually, there's a little bit of Karl in every one of my heroes.
Thanks, Estele!
Judy, you're so funny! And I'd love to go to Ohio. I'm hoping I can make RT next year. I'm using a pic of one of your hotties while writing my current book :)
I'm about to send off an order for books in a few days. I'm waiting on Rosemary Laurey's new book to come out before I do, but I'll add that one to my list. Ohhh, can't wait!
Ahhh, thanks, Barbars. My editor wants more so I'll keep them coming!
Karen
Finally finished running around for the day - thanks, everyone, for stopping!
I'm with Judy, Karen, I would love to have you come to Ohio! Heck, I'd love to have everyone who stops by here to come to Ohio! I'll be excited to go to the booksigning when RT is in Columbus, since I'm only about 30 min. from Columbus. I went to the signing in Pittsburgh last year and had a great time - that's the first time I met Karen - I'm hoping it's not the last!
I will definitely try to make it up to Ohio!
Okay everyone I've had an absolute blast! Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to stop by and chat or just say hi.
And the winners of How To Seduce A Texan are: Housemouse88 and Barbara
And the winners of Close Encounters of the Sexy Kind are Susan and Simone.
Congrats ladies. Please send your snail mail to kkelley@classicnet.net
Bye,
Karen
Congrats to the winners.
I just have to say how much I enjoyed your Planet Nerak series. Those books were such fun. I am not a big fan of alien stories but I couldn't help enjoying the different views of Nerak and Earth.
Thanks for stopping, Sarah! I think we all agree that Karen's Planet Nerak series is great fun!
Congratulations to Karen's winners! I know you'll enjoy your books.
Thanks so much for hanging out today, Karen - it was loads of fun!
Finally able to log in today (a slight downside to the husband's work-at-home days, alas!)--glad to catch up on Karen's visit! Congrats on your latest release, Karen--I've enjoyed all of your books that I've been fortunate enough to read so far, and am happy you've got more in the works!
Congrats to Housemouse88, Barbara, Susan, and Simone--definite happy reading to you all!
Thanks again, Laurie, for having Karen over!
too late darn
love your books
wtg winners
Hello Karen! Sorry I am late to the party, but that's been my life lately. I love the cover for How to Seduce a Texan and look forward to reading it when I get a chance.
Congratulations to the winners!
Congrats winners.
This book looks hot. I would love to win a copy. My ?: What stimulates you to come up with a story line?
Lynn R.
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