Friday, February 17, 2012

Author interview, KENDRA JAMES

Today I’m interviewing  Kendra James / Bev Irwin.Her book, WHEN HEARTS COLLIDE, is a Contemporary medical romance and was released December 7/2011.

***NOTE- Kendra is going to give away a FREE e-book copy of her book to one lucky commenter. You must leave your email address so I can get  a hold of you. ***** 



Please tell my readers a little bit about your book . 

Unjustly suspended from her nursing job, Molly Tanner is running away until she can clear her name. Driving along a lonely, twisting highway, she witnesses an accident. She stops to help the critically injured driver and his young daughter. A decision that changes her life forever.

Describe the genre of this particular title, and is the only genre you write in? 

WHEN HEARTS COLLIDE is a Contemporary, medical romance. I also like doing mystery and adventure, often adding a medical aspect. I write adult, youth and children’s books. I have a youth paranormal, GHOSTLY JUSTICE, and a women’s suspense, MISSING CLAYTON, coming out in 2012.



When did you start writing toward publication? 

When I was in grade two or three. I had a poem called Daffodils that was published somewhere. Over the years I had had poetry published in several anthologies or poem and short story collections.



Did you have several manuscripts finished before you sold? If so, did you send them out yourself?

Yes, I had several manuscripts and was sending them out and getting ‘good’ rejections, but that the agent didn’t love it enough to take it on.



Why have you become a published author?  

Hopefully to make money and be able to retire from my nursing job. I want the freedom to be able to travel.  I want to see the world and I can write wherever I go.



What is your writing routine like?

Mostly I get at the writing later in the day and the evening. On the days I work, I can’t get to the writing until later in the evening.



What sort of promo do you do? Do you have help?

I’m with a small publisher now and most of the promo I have to do myself. I do blogs, am learning more about Facebook and Twitter.



Having achieved your goal to be a published author, what is the most rewarding thing? 

Seeing the gorgeous cover of my book up on the Soul Mate Publishing website and on Amazon, and B & N. I’m waiting to hold a copy of it in my hand. I am also excited about my upcoming book releases with Black Opal Books. It was overwhelming after all the years of writing and getting “I like it but don’t love it” and to have my book to get final stages with Mills and Boon before being rejected (the hero wasn’t heroic enough due to having a broken leg) to getting  my first contract in September with Soul Mate Publishing. Then to have that followed with two contracts from Black Opal Books. One in October for my paranormal youth novel, GHOSTLY JUSTICE, in October, and another in December for my woman’s suspense, MISSING CLAYTON. Both of these will be out in 2012 and I am dying to hold the print copy in my hand.



Are you a member of any writing organizations and, if so, have they helped?

I belong to Savvy Authors. They are awesome and have very good writing courses, resources, support, and also have pitch opportunities. All three of my books were requested from pitches I made through Savvy Authors.

I often go to writing conferences like Book Passages, Bouchercon, Sleuthfest. They have great writing clinics with people like Donald Maass, Hallie Ephron, Dr Doug Lyle...

I also belong to a small critique group, Fine Lines.



Will you share some encouraging words for authors still struggling for that first contract? 

Keep at it! A friend of mine said it takes three things to get published. Luck, talent, and persistence and if you have any two, you will get published. See your book published and on the shelves, and don’t give up.



What’s next for you?

More books published. Hit the Bestseller list, LOL, books being sold in Walmart and Shopper’s Drug Mart.



BOOK BLURB

If you witnessed an accident on a lonely stretch of highway, would you stop or continue on your way? For nurse Molly Tanner the choice is clear. Risking her own life, she pulls the seriously injured driver and his young daughter from the car. When Pearce begs her to pose as his wife to keep Gracie from foster care, memories of her unhappy childhood rush back. But can Molly keep up the charade without her own secrets being discovered and her heart from being shattered?



Bio

Award-winning author Bev Ir win lives in London, Ontario, with three assorted cats and a collie-cross, named Tiff. Her three children have flown the coup. As a registered nurse, she likes to add a touch of medical to her romance and mystery novels. She also writes YA, children's, and poetry. She prefers spending time in her garden, writing, reading, spending time in her garden and time with her granddaughter, Jasmine to being in the kitchen. For her romance novels, she writes under the pen name of Kendra James. Her debut novel, WHEN HEARTS COLLIDE came out in December 2011. Her YA paranormal novel GHOSTLY JUSTICE, her her women's suspense, MISSING CLAYTON, will be released by Black Opal Books in 2012.




Excerpt

     leather-wrapped steering wheel of her Cavalier, her grandmother’s favorite saying echoing in her head.

     Well, wasn’t that the truth. Fight or flight. Those were her two options. But was fleeing the right decision?

     The sun had set an hour before, and the cloudy sky overhead

hung like a mantle of coal. Molly tried to banish the fatigue descending on her. She should have stopped at that last motel, even if it did look like it would qualify for a five-star roach award. She could add that to her list of regrettable decisions.

     The highway, arrow-straight when it left Hillsborough, now twisted and turned like a corkscrew. Pine trees bordered the roadway, encroaching like shadowy ghosts. Scenes from horror movies with lonely highways sent a shiver down her spine. Why hadn’t she left while it was still light? Molly tried to suppress a yawn. Wake up girl, you need to stay alert.

     She flipped the air flow to maximum. Maybe the cool air would keep her going for a few more miles. She glanced in the rear-view mirror—no one else on the road, nothing to distract her, nothing but blacktop and an inky saw-toothed line of trees. She turned the radio up and listened to the lonesome country tunes.

     It wasn’t working. She switched to a rock station. “I’m not ready to make nice, I’m not ready to back down.” That was better. Just the way she felt. Molly sang along. Opening the window, she let the pine-scented breeze slap her awake.

     A car approached, its bright headlights flickering like fireflies between the thick trunks of the evergreens. At last, a sign of life, the first she’d seen in the past half hour. The lights came closer, causing the pavement to take on the appearance of a striped swamp snake. The roar of a high-powered engine amplified as the distance between them shrank. Thankfully, the high beams switched to low.

      Molly jerked herself alert. What’s wrong with you? He’s on his side of the road, and he isn’t speeding. Why did she have a sudden sense of apprehension? Calm down. The road’s wide enough to share.

     There was a flash of movement. A white-tailed deer darted across the highway fifty feet in front of her. Instinctively, she white-knuckled the steering wheel. Her foot eased off the gas, and the car slowed.

     At least something was going right. Her hands loosened their grip, and she settled back into the seat. A screech of tires broke into her thoughts. Her back stiffened and her heart rate spiked. She clutched the steering wheel again, but her palms were sweating and she had trouble maintaining her grip. The oncoming car veered towards her, its headlights hitting her full in the face, momentarily blinding her. Molly froze. 

      Oh God,no. Her breath wedged in her throat. There was nothing she could do. Her heart skipped several beats as she battered the brakes. Too late. She was heading straight for the car. She hunched forward, bracing for the inevitable crash.

     Unable to breathe, Molly watched as the sports car lurched to the left and hurtled away from her. Hands trembling, Molly relaxed her foot and eased the car to the side of the road. One car out of control was enough. She watched in horror as the Jaguar’s wheels caught the ridge where pavement met gravel. It freewheeled sideways. There was a thunderous crash. A mushroom cloud of sand and gravel littered the darkness, obliterating the car.

     Where was her cell phone? She fumbled through her purse.When would she learn to keep it on? The phone had migrated to the bottom corner of her canvas bag. Her fingers grasped the oblong object, and she flipped it open. Molly pressed the ‘on’ button. Only three numbers, why was she having trouble finding them?

      Seconds crawled as she waited for the screen to illuminate. She twisted in the seat. Like a theatre curtain drawn in reverse mode, gravel and dust sifted back to the ground. In

horizontal slices, the car inched into view. The hood and driver’s side were crunched into the base of a large pine tree. Her thumbs finally managed the number.

     “911. What is your emergency?”

     “There’s been a car accident...on Highway 57...about 15 minutes north of Arva. There’s someone in the car...he swerved to miss a deer...the car slid into a tree. Get an ambulance!”





How can my readers buy your book? 

Web site   

                  Soul Mate Publishing, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

                  

Readers can go to the publisher’s home page at  www.soulmatepublishing.com


You can find more information about  and my book, WHEN HEARTS COLLIDE by

visiting my website,  www.kendrajames.net

or


My next two books, MISSING CLAYTON, a women’s suspense, and

GHOSTLY JUSTICE, a youth paranormal, will be coming out in 2012 with www.blackopalbooks.com/

32 comments:

  1. This is a lovely interview, ladies! When Hearts Collide sounds like a great read and I loved the excerpt.

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  2. I admire the ability to write and hold down a full time job. Look forward to the YA book as well. Good job!

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    1. She makes it look easy, doesn't she? Thanks for stopping by.

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  3. Wow....sounds like a great book....props to promotion...

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  4. Exciting excerpt, and great premise for a romance. I'm sure your profession adds a great deal of realism to this story, Bev. Good luck with your writing!

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  5. Thank you so much, ladies.

    Actually I only work part-time now, though I often am there more than that. I work with troubled children and love it but it does eat into the writing time.

    Yes, I love to add a touch of medical to my writing. I'm working on a book about a girl who attempts suicide. The planned focus of the book should be interesting.

    Glad you ladies enjoyed the excerpt.
    Kendra/ Bev waving from Canada.

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    1. Hello! Looks like you have been holding down the forst while I was at work. You are getting great responses.

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  6. Yes, your cover is fantastic. I can imagine you were over the moon when you saw it. Got to love those "thank you, but" rejections. Good luck. I'm glad your realizing the first step of your dream. I'll be watching for your YA.

    jc5harley@yahoo.com

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    1. Thanks for stopping by! The cover is a real eye catcher, that's for sure.

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  7. YA? Good for you. Kendra, I wish you all the luck in the world with your many endeavors. When Hearts Collide is a wonderful novel.

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  8. Thank you. I DO love that cover, JC.

    Thanks, Ann. Here's sending best wishes back at you for your books.

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  9. That is an amazing cover! Congrats with all your releases and best wishes with your future projects. I'm also a full time nurse and would love to retire early to be a full time writer :)

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    1. Good luck in persuing your dreams. I hope they come true. Thanks for stopping by!

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  10. What a great interview. I love the way you add a little of your life to your books. Bev, congratulations on the new releases coming up. I wish you much success.

    Teresa K.
    tcwgrlup41(at)yahoo.com

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  11. Nice interview. This sounds like an excellent read. My email: yeko59@aol.com

    Good luck on your books. Great cover.

    -Cheryl

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  12. Great interview ladies! Have already read When Hearts Collide and am looking forward to your next books.

    All the best with these and future projects

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    1. GLad you liked the book! Thanks for stopping by!

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  13. So nice to meet you today, Kendra. I so agree on never giving up. After 22 years I just go picked up for five stories. Giving up never entered my mind. So many benefits to being an author - finding the best friends in the world for one. :)

    Your story sounds great and I love your cover. Best of luck with lots of sales.

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  14. I forgot to leave my email address:

    mlurso@comcast.net

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  15. Thank you all you wonderful people for your encouraging and positive comments.

    Mandy, I didn't know you were a nurse too. We must chat. Good luck with the contest. If the winner has already read me book, I could send them one of my new books when they come out.
    Congratulations, Paisley. A long road but well worth it.
    I will check in again when I get home.
    Isn't Sarah a wonderful host? Hats off to you, Sarah.

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  17. I wish there's an option to edit comments after they are published and you realize you goofed. Anyhow, great interview, Bev. Good luck with your books, the cover for this one is a real eye cathcer.

    Zrinka waving hi from Cambridge, Ontario. Have to get to London on the 28th.

    czjelic@gmail.com

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  18. Thank you, Sarah, for having me today. Great fun.

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  19. Sarah, sorry I am so late! Kendra, great interview. I love the cover of the book with Jimmy Thomas and your story premises is one that I would definitely read. I belong to Savvy as well and they are a fabulous group of writers. They offer so much for a new writer to learn.

    They have some of the best workshops and the majority are free and writers needing to pitch can find a wealth of agents,editors and publishers to pitch to.

    Great job ladies!

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  20. wow i like t hat and then i love the cover and the color of it so cool thanks for stooping by
    desi the blonde at msn.com

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  21. Great blurb, great excerpt, and great cover what more can I say but I am going to look for a copy of it now.

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  22. I read the blurb for your book and am really looking forward to reading all of your books and I would love a copy of the current one out. Thank you for the words of encouragement for aspiring writers.

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