Join me in welcoming K-Lee Klein to the blog as part of the GRL Dirty Dozen blog hop!
12 Days | 12 Authors | 12 eBook giveaway
Let's start with the Author Q&A then I'll tell you where you can stalk K-Lee and share her latest release.
Dirty Dozen Q&A with K-lee Klein…
Author Amy Wasp asks - What
is your favorite trope to write and why? I’d have to say hurt/comfort is
high on that list because I love to hurt my characters then put them back
together. My recent book is opposites attract and that was fun to write because
the differences in my guys was so bold. Friends to lovers is a special trope
too because of the background and history of the characters. Established
relationships fit into those descriptions as well.
I
write a lot of cowboys and rockstars, and I’d love to write a fake relationship
or even enemies to lovers. Oh, the possibilities.
Author Jeff Adams asks - What’s your favorite part of the writing process and why? The characters are my favorite part and they’re
always the first thing that sticks in my head. Before I start a book, I already
know all my guys’ physical qualities, their personality quirks, their
backgrounds, the way they speak, what hurts them, and the way they love.
Author TM Smith asks – What
inspires you to write? I started
writing as a form of emotional therapy, I guess. I smear all my emotions across
the page and it helps me gets some control and relief for how I’m feeling. For
example, when I wrote Brett Taylor in Unbreak
My Heart, I was going through a major depression so I heaped all my upset
and sadness on and into him.
In Lazy
Sundays, I wrote a character with anxiety disorder and OCD because I suffer
from both of those and seeing it on the page makes me feel less alone. That’s a
weird thing to say but it seems accurate to me. So maybe what inspires me is
me?
Author AE Via asks - What
career would you have if you never would've published your first book? That’s a really hard question because
writing—at least getting published—was a big part of my empty-nest syndrome.
Being a mom will always be my most important job, but in the past, I made
dichroic glass jewelry, and I was a travel agent, a Tupperware salesperson, a
kids’ clothes vendor, and a secretary. I honestly don’t know what I’d be doing
now, but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t feel quite so fulfilled or have met as many
wonderful people.
Author Lynn Michaels asks - How do you balance being original and giving the readers what they
expect/want? I think it’s important
to listen to what readers want, but it’s just as important to maintain my own
voice. My books are more character-based and emotional in tone. I don’t write a
ton of sex, and usually prefer a slow build with my characters.
I
believe it’s all about personal preference and everyone is entitled to their
own. I’ve tried to write a little more out of my comfort zone in an attempt to
give readers what I think they want,
and that hasn’t really worked out for me, nor does it feel comfortable. One of
the first things I learned about writing (and reviews) is you can try to please
everyone but that’s really a losing battle.
Author JR Barten asks - What have you done as a writer
that you are most proud of?
Obviously, I have to say my biggest accomplishment was getting published in the
first place, but just as important was my beginning in self-publishing. I’m not
a very chill person and there are so many parts to self-pub that it can be
overwhelming. It makes me overwhelmingly anxious from start to finish, but I’ve
built some wonderful relationships within the community and those people are
pretty good at keeping me afloat when I feel like I’m sinking.(Ha! I’m not sure
I actually answered the question or just babbled along like I usually do.)
Author Morningstar Ashley asks - What genre and trope would you like you write that you haven't yet?
I’d love to write a historical but that
scares me to death. When I wrote fanfiction, my first go-to was Alexander the
Great/Hephaestion and I’ve done a lot of research on Ancient Greece and Macedonia.
Yet, it’s still very intimidating. I’d also like to try my hand at the
Victorian era but that’s even scarier. Others would be fake relationship, enemies
to lovers, and amnesia.
Author Alexa Land asks - What are you working on now, and when can your readers expect it? I had an exciting (at least to me) release
on September 26 – Lazy Sundays. The book was a really long time coming. On tap,
I have the complete rewrite of Finally Home which was the first book I ever
published. I’ll be tearing it apart and adding more of Josiah’s story. I’m hoping that will go at by Christmas, as
well as a short story I wrote that’s set during the holidays.
I’ve
also almost completed a book starring a Palestinian rock cellist and Celtic
fiddler called Gimme Shelter that I hope to publish at the beginning of 2019,
and a new Lucky & Jack Loveland book has already been started.
Author Deanna Wadsworth asks - How do you come up with your character's names? Sometimes that’s so easy! It’s like BAM –
perfect. Sometimes it’s names I’ve heard that intrigued me. But usually that’s
not the case. I lean toward J names but that’s difficult because I have 3 kids
with J names, 2 of which are boys. I also have issues with naming the MCs in a
story with the same first letter which can get confusing. That’s not answering
the question because I have no answer. Random. Random. Random.
Author K-Lee Klein asks - Do you usually have only one project on the go or do you multitask
between stories? I’m definitely a
multitasker. I’ve been successful at working on one at a time, mostly because
of deadlines, but that’s not usually the case. My brain prefers the chaos of
more than two voices in my head (other than the ones there all the time lol),
that way if I get blocked with one book, I can move to another. Of course,
there are times when some characters (*cough* Brett Taylor, Lucky Roberts) try
to jump the line and I have to wrangle them back into their documents.
Author Jessie Gin asks - What do you think makes a good story? Heart. Sounds simple, but I like my books, whether as a writer or
reader, to give me a strong emotional reaction. I like to feel connected to the
characters and them to each other more than just sexually. I want to cry and
laugh with them, yell if they’re being idiots, or swoon when they have all
their relationship firsts—kiss, hug, touching, I love yous.
Author Wade Kelly asks - What is your suggestion or piece of advice to new and upcoming authors?
The biggest thing I learned was to
take most reviews with a grain of salt. Not that they aren’t important, but
like I said earlier, you can’t please everyone at the same time.
I’ve
had emotional breakdowns because I made the mistake of reading negative reviews
that offered no constructive criticism. They hurt, there’s no way to deny that,
and the negative ones seem to stick with you much longer than the positive
ones. If at all possible, don’t let that negativity muffle your voice. Just do
you.
My
other suggestion is to use the community. It can get chaotic sometimes
but...get involved if you can and don’t be afraid to say you’re new and you
need a little guidance. Most of the authors I know in our genre are good people
who are willing to help, me included.
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About the Author
K-lee loves guys with long hair and tattoos, and you’ll often find her
front and center at her favorite rock concerts. She has bounced around Western
Canada all her life but will always consider the solitude and beauty of the
British Columbian mountains home. Her life is blessed as the proud mother of
three now-grown but still spoiled kids, the servant of two bossy felines, and
the wife of a truly patient husband.
Her writing muse is terribly temperamental, so to keep him close by and in
check, she had him inked on her left calf. The gorgeous, long-haired, mostly
naked, kneeling angel that resulted is truly a work of art, although he’s still
a handful and hopelessly uncontrollable. She writes on his schedule and
inspiration.
K-lee tends to fall easily into obsessions. When something grabs her
attention, she jumps into it headfirst with complete abandon. Actors,
musicians, superheroes, fictional characters, and brainwashed assassins all
hold spots on her cannot-get-enough list. She once followed Thirty Seconds to
Mars around the United States and Canada and saw them perform fourteen times
that year. Obsession sometimes leads to ideas for her kneeling angel to turn
into stories.
Although an introvert
in person, she’s extroverted online and has met many wonderful friends there,
sometimes with the added fun of meeting them in person at gay romance
conferences. She’s grateful for all the people in her life who accept her as she
is and support her through her ups and downs as mom, wife, and joyfully
obsessed writer.
Places to find K-lee.
Website | Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook Author | Facebook group
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Hot New Release – LAZY SUNDAYS!
Out Now!!
Scott Weston’s car is sensible, his
suits are bland, and his job is stable but boring. Mundane routine helps keep
his anxiety and obsessive tendencies under control. Socializing—especially
dating—isn’t on his list of strong skills either, and, made worse with the
echoes of his disapproving mother. So he’s content to stay at home with his
lists and cleaning and wildlife documentaries, until a one-night stand goes
unexpectedly right.
History has taught Devon DuCaine that
dating can be uncomfortable, but there’s just something about Scott. He may be
the opposite of Devon’s own long-haired, tattooed, free-wheeling spirit but he
brings out the nurturer in Devon. Maybe it’s Scott’s surprising fascination
with Devon’s motorcycle, or his shy surprise in moments of affection, but
there’s more under those sensible suits than meets the eye. The most important
person in Devon’s life, his mom, taught him love and compassion and that’s all
he wants to share that with Scott.
Their one-night stand turns into a
regular thing, but Scott doesn’t trust it to last. He’s pretty sure Devon is
hiding something. He’s even more sure that once Devon gets to know him, the
attraction will fade. And then there’s his mother. However many sparks fly
between them, Devon will have his work cut out to convince Scott they can have
their happily ever after.
(This book was first published as 2
short stories, but this new version has double the content from the originals.)
12 eBook Giveaway...
Amy Wasp – City Boy
Jeff Adams – The Hockey
Player’s Heart
TM Smith – Survivor or
Lover
AE Via – Winner’s Choice
Lynn Michaels – The
Holeshot
JR Barten - Unf;nished
Morningstar Ashley – A
Different Light
Alexa Land – The Rest of
Forever
Deanna Wadsworth – Easy
Rider
K-Lee Klein – Lazy Sundays
Jessie Gin – Rebuilding
Hope
Wade Kelly - Winner’s Choice
Follow ALL the stops on the hop. You can share the posts daily on Twitter for more entries into the 12 eBook giveaway.
Dirty Dozen Author
schedule...
October 1st - Amy Wasp will
host Wade Kelly
October 2nd - Jeff Adams will
host Jessie Gin
October 3rd - TM Smith will
host K-Lee Klein
October 4th - AE Via will
host Deanna Wadsworth
October 5th - Lynn Michaels will
host Alexa Land
October 6th - JR Barten will
host Morningstar Ashley
October 7th - Morningstar Ashley will host Jen JR Barton
October 8th - Alexa Land will
host Lynn Michaels
October 9th - Deanna Wadsworth will host AE Via
October 10th - K-Lee Klein will
host TM Smith
October 11th - Jessie Gin will
host Jeff Adams
> > > > GIVEAWAY < < < <
Thank you and thanks for reading. 🤗
ReplyDeleteGreat array of questions and answers! Thank you for sharing =)
ReplyDelete