kristen james romances

Happy New Year! A look back and forwards.

by Kristen James

Wow, I did a lot of writing and publishing in 2012 and I don’t plan to slow down any time soon! This last year, I published:

  • A Spy for Christmas
  • A Special Ops Christmas
  • More Than a Promise
  • Un vaquero para navidad – the Spanish version of A Cowboy for Christmas (Spanish books have lower case titles, in case you’re wondering)
  • The Enemy’s Son – republished actually – it was with a small Canadian publisher before that
  • In The Land of Huckleberries and Wokas – a Native American novella similar to my novel The River People.
  • and a children’s book called Even Animals Get Their Own Room. This was a special project because my sons Isaac and Caleb illustrated it.

Possible Cover three

Yes, this is on Amazon if you want copy or want to search inside to see their artwork.

This project spanned two years. We’d pull out the art supplies and work on it a Saturday here or an afternoon there. Isaac and Caleb each took copies to school to show to their friends. They donated a copy to their library and another kid checked it out that same day. So we had a ton of fun working on it, and we were all proud of the final product. The printed book actually looks like you could feel the crayon on the paper; I was just amazed at the quality.

 

Every year I learn more about storytelling, writing and using my strengths as a writer, so I owe a big thanks to all my readers for sharing your thoughts on Facebook, here and in reviews on Amazon. This last year I learned to listen to my own heart on storytelling and not on the usual rules and expectations. I thought about what kind of story I want to experience, write and read, not what big publishers or all the Writer Rules say you should write. I let readers guide me too, through comments and reviews.

2013 – A new year and new opportunities

I’m already working on a new novel for this year. It’s an emotional story of romance, commitment and family, similar in theme to More Than Memories, More Than a Promise and A Special Ops Christmas. I love looking at family relationships, rekindling and rebuilding love, and making a better future. I’ll tell you more about the story soon and share the cover in the next couple of months.

My goals and plans are much the same for this year. I want to keep writing, keep improving and grow my readership. Even my personal goals are the same – I love spending time with my family and experiencing life to the fullest. There are a few things on the agenda, like riding in a hot air balloon and the local trolly that goes on a winery tour. If you saw this big red trolly around your town, you’d understand!

Thanks so much for joining my journey. I hope this is a fantastic year for everyone!

Two November Releases! More Than a Promise and A Spy for Christmas

by Kristen James

More Than a Promise: Cassie’s story is available!  It’s the sequel to Embers of Hope, so here’s the blurbs for both books:

Book 1: Embers of Hope: Savanna’s Story  – available in print and Kindle

Savanna Thompson knows what it’s like when you blink and your life shatters. She’s been hiding her divorce from her best friend Cassie, but she knows she can’t any longer. Cassie’s husband, a firefighter, just died. Savanna rushes home, along with her one-year-old daughter to help, and now she’s staying with Cassie in a nursery meant for a baby that won’t ever exist. Cassie lost that dream along with her husband.

Savanna wants to fix their relationship after hiding so much, but it’s complicated with Jason around. He’s the firefighter who saved Savanna’s life two and a half years ago. He just lost his best friend, and like Cassie, he blames himself for Mike’s death. When he convinced Mike to remain with the department, how could he know Mike would die fighting a house fire?

Though hurting herself, something deep inside her won’t let her walk away. Jason needs her but she’s off limits on so many levels. She’s falling for this sexy firefighter but he confuses her to no end. Being stuck in the middle is enough stress, plus her own problems are festering behind her helping smile. Can Savanna find the balance between loving Jason, helping Cassie, and taking care of herself and her daughter? Or is she going to lose this bet and her best friend?

Kindle Link Coming Soon

Book 2: More Than a Promise:  Cassie’s Story

Cassie escapes to Ocean View Stables on the Oregon Coast to cope with the three year anniversary of her husband’s death. She’s starting to dream about her future again and possibly romance. A safe romance, that is, where people don’t die. Maybe her trusty next door neighbor Brandon would be a safe bet. But once at Ocean View, she runs into Ethan Caldwell, the cute boy who teased her through grade school. He sure grew up – into a man who’d catch anyone’s eyes. The romantic man has a song for every emotion. He’s a single dad to nine year old Isabel, who talks about her parents getting back together…as soon as her mom is out of rehab. Then maybe her mom can watch her while her dad goes on his work trips. Apparently Ethan has some kind of dangerous, secretive government job. This isn’t at all what Cassie is looking for! So why is she running full speed into another broken heart?

Sneak Peek:

“Want to go swimming?” he asked.

She was busy thinking and thought she misunderstood him, but the expectant smile on his face told her otherwise. “Right now?”

He got up and stuck out a hand. Before she could think the situation over, or create a good reason to say no, he had grabbed her hand and was pulling her toward the river, looking back once to grin mischievously. “We’re being sneaky!”

“I’m not wearing…” a swimsuit. “Same old Ethan!” He’d always been a dare devil.

He let go of her hand to pull off his shirt. The moonlight silhouetted his body as he walked closer to the water, his shorts dropping. Either he hadn’t been wearing underwear or he dropped them with his shorts. It was nothing but skin. She looked away, pretending she didn’t just see his naked body…his very toned, naked body.

“I can show you the world…” he sang as he walked toward the water. “Take you wonder by wonder…”

Was that from the movie Aladdin? She giggled. She couldn’t help it; she giggled like a little school girl.

“Over, sideways and under…”

Could he possibly be thinking the same things she was? This man was not like those other guys, the ones who wanted to sit in a restaurant and ask her about life plans.

“I won’t look,” he said, wading in, with a hint of repressed laughter.

And my other November Release is…

  A Spy for Christmas — a novella

 

Robin is returning from Honolulu where she was nursing her wounds. Her long time boyfriend just wasn’t the man for her, and now she’ll be spending Christmas alone. Everything changes when she meets Grayson… and a world of danger. Suddenly she finds herself forced into hiding for the holidays with this charming, mysterious man.

What’s more dangerous? The Oregon wilderness? Hit men? Or the heat in Grayson’s arms?