Friday, August 28, 2009



Buy at http://www.roguephoenixpress.com/

Newest Release Meghan's Legacy Reviewed by: Val at eBookGuru

I picked up Meghan’s Legacy for the mystery/ suspense aspect alone and found it to be one of the best books that I have read. K.J. Dahlen most definitely knows how to write a chapter with one heck of a cliffhanger. I love how K.J. Dahlen’s mind works. Just when I thought I knew what happened, boom, another surprise! This book does contain a sensual romance and characters who sizzle together, but the main focus is on the mystery as, for this book, it absolutely should be. It’s what made the book a compelling and well crafted read. I found this book to be fast moving with a lot of sitting on the edge of your seat suspense. The villian is always lurking just one step behind Meghan and Quinn. I consider this book to be an instant pick me up book and I know that I will be reading it for a long time to come. I will definitely be looking for more work by K.J. Dahlen and this author has just become a mandatory add to my automatic to be read list.

For the entire review go to: http://www.ebookguru.org/2009/08/review-meghans-legacy-by-kj-legacy/

Shortly after her twenty-fifth birthday Meghan Thorp comes back home. There’s only one problem, she doesn’t remember ever living here. At age three she lost her parents and her grandmother when an explosion blew up a cottage on her grandparent’s estate. Two years later she lost her grandfather in what was claimed to be an accident. Now twenty years later she returns and strange things start happening to her.
When a friend of her grandfather tells her that her grandfather never believed the accidents that took her family were accidents at all, but murder, he encourages her to remember the two days in her young life that changed her forever.
She doesn’t remember anything about the explosion or her grandfather’s death but when the nightmares return she knows she has to before whoever murdered her family gets to her. When she finds out that the someone behind the murders of her family might be her own uncle, Meghan can’t believe it. Especially when she realizes the reason behind the murders are rumors of Union gold buried on the property.

1. What lured you to writing suspense?
I tried writing romance but I loved intrigue more. I love the fact that I can put my characters into a situation and watch how they get themselves out of it. Sometimes they just take over my story and make it their own. I like the fact that my books intrigue people enough that they want to keep reading. If I can make them want to turn the next page to find out what is coming next then I've done my job as a writer. When I first started writing someone told me that my books were predicitable. I vowed then and there that my books would have twists and turned you would see coming and I think I'm doing just that.

2. What is the hardest part of writing suspense?
I think the hardest part is coming up with new ideas. It's also the easiest part of writing suspense. Alot of the time my books come from a single idea or phrase. I can build up an idea into a book. I start with an outline and go from there. Sometimes I stick to the outline but most of the time the story takes on a life of its own and I never know where its going to go until I'm done.

3. How long does it take you to write a suspense novel?
I did a book in three weeks just to see if I could do it. It turned out to be a very good book, and led me to outline several more using the same characters.
Most of the time I can write about three to five books a year.

4. Does research get easier over time? Do you utilize information gathered previously for your novel?
Yes several years ago I began researaching by reading forensic and crime books. I have a very extensive library of my own with everything from forensic, to herbal medicine to criminal psycology. Some times I use the internet. I like to read and that knowledge is never a waste of time. I also like to impart of little bit of myself in each of my books.

Kim lives in a small Wisconsin town with her husband and dog. She can see the Mississippi river on one side and the bluffs where eagles fly on the other. She has two kids and two grandkids. Kim loves to people watch and she uses what she sees in her books. She loves to create intense situations for her characters and sit back and see what they do to get to get themselves out of trouble. Sometimes her characters even surprise her. Her characters come alive for her, and what starts out as just an idea becomes a story with unusual twists and turns. She loves to keep her readers guessing until the very last page.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Only a three day work week. Woohoo! Today I am going to work on my St. Patrick's Day Anthology. I think the fae folk must be up next. They seem to write the story, but I'm going to have to read through the entire manuscript before I start writing. I've been away for far too long. I've finally figured out what the feud is about. Oh, the simple things and faster fingers. No this is not a story about pickpockets although I have a pickpocket story. Interesting, but the pickpocket is a dog.

Look for the Valentine Anthology coming out in February. The Wager and Forever His in November. Check out the http://aidansmisadventures.blogspot.com/ for an excerpt from The Wager.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Back to school! Now I have to figure out how to get everything done. PBS training today and work on animation. I hope the animation session will help with book trailers and other things. Will be finishing a scene tonight. I'm keeping my fingers crossed I'll get out of the first scene in chapter 5. Then what...

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Finishing a book, wow! I saw on line someone blogging about the great feelings one has when the book is finished. Well, I'm a long ways away from finishing my St. Patrick's Day anthology. In the last three days I haven't even finished a page--a line or two maybe--but I've had other things on my mind. I will try again today. But I'm still working on the duel. I should be long past that point--ah, well--I'm not.

Check out my blog http://aidansmisadventures.blogspot.com/ for a new excerpt from The Wager coming in November from Awe-struck. Don't forget Forever His the last book in the series starting ten years ago with Dakota's Bride. Forever His coming in November from Rogue Phoenix Press

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

One of the groups I belong to asked the question: How is it working with other authors on a project? Good and Bad. The Rogue's Angels decided to work on Anthologies together. The first one will be published in 2010 on Valentines Day. The experience has been great. We are the best of friends and so we have been able to pull our combined talents into an anthology which will be a fun read. Our next project to be published in 2011 will be a St. Patrick's Day anthology. This one will be a little bit diffrent because we are trying to combine the three stories into one continuous one. I'm a little scared about how this is going to work but I think with lots of planning the story will come together. The problem with all this is that I'm not a planner. Sigh--it is a good thing Chris K. and Genene are excellent at this endeavor.

Look for The Wager coming in November from Awe-Struck books and Forever His in November from Rogue Phoenix Press. Yes, the date has been moved up. Go to http://aidansmisadventures.blogspot.com/ to read an excerpt from The Wager.

Monday, August 17, 2009

The heroine is racing to the park to stop the duel. Will she make it in time? Will her brother survive? This is an action packed scene with bullets flying, horses racing and oh my, I forgot how awkward and accident prone our heroine is. Will she survive the race to the park? Can she avoid the phaetons and other transportation devices that might get in her way? Will the fae folk intervene and sprinkle a little magical dust on her to keep her from hurting herself? So many questions and not even time.

Looks like the Valentine Anthology has a kick-off party planned for--you'll never guess--February 14th and I think it will be at the animal shelter in Salem. Mark your calendar and plan to be there. The three stories? Chasing Rainbows, The Lending Library, and The Gift.

Friday, August 14, 2009

I'm looking for some inspiration here. I'm sure the fae folk will give it to me once I start writing. The duel is about to take place. Ah--questions, how will the faeries interfere? Will there be trickery? Will the antagonist turn at 10 paces or will he cheat?

On another note, I'm looking forward to the phone call from my daughter. She is off to Greece. What an adventure. She was there for school last year and now cannot resist the place and is back. She has been to two weddings and traveled the countryside a little bit.

Look for another excerpt for The Wager coming in November from Awe-struck posted at http://aidansmisadventures.blogspot.com/

Thursday, August 13, 2009

What will happen this morning when there will be duels at dawn? Will the hero and the heroine survive? Will they ever get that first kiss? Will the hero see his love before the duel or will he never see her again? Will they ever find out what the feud tearing apart their families is? I certainly expect they will.

An excerpt of The Wager will be posted at Aidan's blog. Take a look and see what the 12 sisters/cousins will be up to in November when The Wager is published by Awe-struck.
http://aidansmisadventures.blogspot.com/
Look for Forever His in November also. The pub date has been moved up. I will post an excerpt for this book also.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

I'm looking for ideas: What is this feud all about? Could it be something so little as one family getting the last package of corned beef? Or could it be something more meaningful more horrible? Ah, but faeries are involved, the little mischief makers, so it can't be all bad.

Buy Allura at Awe-struck. Look for Forever His coming out in December at Rogue Phoenix Press the last book in the series which started with Dakota's Bride in December of 1999.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

I actually wrote yesterday. Not a lot but I put word to paper which gives me a starting point today. As usual, the characters changed the plot line of the story and now I have some follow up and revising. Duels vs. fights, one is legal the other is not. Oh, my will the faieries fight a dual, a dual of curses and blessings, maybe tossing pixie dust back and forth. Oh, my, oh my. I'm sure there is protocol for all of this. Must consult an encyclopedia of faeries.

Look for the Valentine Anthology February 14, 2010. Forever His has suddenly become a November release as well as The Wager.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Let's try this a second time. Computers, we love them and we hate them. I was hunting for a title of a book and the computer froze. So everything I wrote vanished in a twinkle of an eye. Chapter 4--oh what a turning point the faeries have in store for the humans. It will keep you speeding through the pages to see what will happen next. And the feud, we are learning, was over something very minor which escalated as the years passed. These families should not be enemies!

Look for the new slideshow posted on roguesanglesblogspot.com. I am working on it and it is growing in preparation for the release of the Valentine Anthology in a little over 6 months. I am looking for faeries for the Lending Tree by Chris Kraemer and a nutty professor for Chasing Rainbows by Genene Valleau and civil war clip art for The Gift, by me.

Sunday, August 09, 2009

Should they share the kiss? Is this the first big turning point in the story? Turning points--I believe there should be a turning point in every scene leading up to the dark moment. Turning points make the story interesting and they keep the pages moving. Should they not share the kiss? What pagan faerie will get in the way of the kiss? Oh, so many questions and so much trouble to get into. I thought I had the scene figured out and now...

Check out Rouge's Angels blog. www.rougesangelsblogspot.com I will be starting a slide show which will begin advertising the 2010 Valentine Anthology written by Genene Valleau, Chris Kraemer and myself. It will be out in print and ebook forms on February 14, 2010. Look for Forever His coming in December 2009 and The Wager November 2009.

Saturday, August 08, 2009

Kiss the girl, Kiss the girl, Kiss the girl. What do you all think? If the fae folk whisper kiss the girl in the heroe's ear, do you think he will kiss her? That remains to be seen. I didn't get much writing done yesterday. I went to see The Half Blood Prince. Saw lots of death eaters and magicians but not a lot of faeries. No real inspiration in the movie. It seemed Rowlings did a lot of setting up for the next movie. I didn't like it that Dumbledorf (sp?) died--just didn't seem right.
Back to the story at hand. At least my uncoordinated heroine has survived the crashing surf and the tide pools without falling victim to the ocean. Stay tuned for further adventures of -- I'm really going to have to decide on their names.

Buy Allura from Awe-struck as an ebook or POD from roguephoenixpress. Look for Forever His the last in the Dakota's Bride series coming in December from roguephoenixpress. Buy The Locket and The Talisman from roguephoenixpress.

Friday, August 07, 2009

I have always loved to write villians into my stories. Antagonists are fun and they let the inner demon go unchecked. The two evil fae folk, and they really aren't that evil, they just like pranks and mischief more than most, are Conn and Carey. Conn has the task of seeing the arrogant and very pompous Florence marries our heroine. But he is bedeviled at every turn by Oran and Moya. Carey hasn't entered the story yet but she is Conn's sister. I haven't figured out her role yet but I'm sure she will be up to lots of pranks. Stay tuned for more adventures from our fae people.

Look for Forever His, coming in December 2009. Buy The Locket and The Talisman at Rogue Phoenix Press. www.roguephoenixpress.com. These are the sequels to Dakota's Bride and My Angel.

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Faeries, faeries everywhere. The Fae people are taking over my life! They are playing tricks and writing my anthology, putting thoughts in my head. But they are so much fun. I'm introducing Moya and Oran (the good faeries) into my story. They are fairy godmother and fairy godfather to the heroine and hero in the St. Patrick's Day anthology I'm writing with Genene Valleau and Chris Kraemer. I have not settled on my the names for my hero and heroine yet. These two fae creatures have blessed the heroine and hero with the gift of true love (for each other) and now they have to figure out how to bring these two people together. Since humans are so inept at everything, including finding true love, this is turning out to quite the task.

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

I am looking for guest bloggers and in return would love to blog about my books at other sites. Please let me know if you would like to be a guest at my site.

I am currently finishing a project that has spanned six books. This book Forever His is a historical romance. It is the last of the six books. The story is Jacob St. John's. Jacob appeared in the second book Dakota's Bride, and My Angel the third book that were published by Kennsington. I now have the rights to those books. He has been in all the books since. Etta Barringer appeared in the fourth book The Locket and has been in each book since then. In every book Etta and Jacob fall more deeply in love but in each book she betrays him some way.

Look for Forever His coming in December 2009. Buy The Locket and The Talisman at www.roguephoenixpress.com