Kelli’s Quill - January 2018 Issue

Happy 2018 everyone! In this issue, we’re doing a flashback to my 2017 releases (all 7 of them) and flashing forward to a look at what’s on the horizon. I’ve also included new social media news & links, blogs, book reviews, plus answer a few FAQ in Kelli’s Corner. Here we go:

A Look Back

It’s hard to believe, but I released 7 romances in 2017. These titles were originally published by Amber Quill Press (in one form or another) and we all reedited and revised. Some even got excellent new covers. In case you missed any, here’s the list:

Beauty & the Bigfoot - paranormal comedy (September)

Trust with Hearts - contemporary romance (July)

Four Days with Jack - gay contemporary (June)

Midsummer Night’s Delights, Midwinter Night’s Delights, and Ultimate Night’s Delights - erotic historical/fantasy trilogy (Spring)

Loving a Wild Stranger - historical/pioneer romance (January) 

Read book summaries, excerpts, reviews, and more on my website: www.KelliWilkins.com and blog: http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/.

Sharing New Reviews

Several of my books got great reviews! Here’s a sample…

The San Francisco Review of Books posted a great new review for my writing book You Can Write—Really! Here’s an excerpt: “If you’ve ever wanted to write fiction, then you will want to read this book. This book has tips and techniques that will help not only beginners, but more advanced writers as well. All aspects of the craft of writing are covered, in the order that they are needed. There are concrete and detailed descriptions in each chapter, information that would well serve writers from a variety of levels. And yet, the complete novice will not be overwhelmed.”

Read the review here: http://www.sanfranciscoreviewofbooks.com/2017/12/book-review-you-can-writereally-by.html   

Ready to write? Order You Can Write—Really! here: http://www.kelliwilkins.com/12232/46501.html

Coffetime Romance gave Beauty & the Bigfoot a 4 coffee cup rating! Here’s a snippet: “Tara and Kyani’s story is unusual but entertaining. There were a few times I laughed out loud at the path this love story took. The book is an unusual spin on paranormal but one worth reading. Give Beauty & the Bigfoot a read – you will not be disappointed.”

Read the review here: http://coffeetimeromance.com/bookreviews/beauty-and-the-bigfoot-by-kelli-a-wilkins/

Read about Beauty & the Bigfoot here: http://www.kelliwilkins.com/2301/8301.html

My contemporary romance novel, Trust with Hearts also got a great review. Here’s an excerpt: “There are family and friends, sorrow, loss, sadness, fear, anger, hurt, angst, tears, laughter, happiness, lots of loving and ultimately love. There is a nice flow to the story and I loved Curtis’ memories of growing up with his grandmother and what an important role she played in his life even now. Wilkins is a new to me author and I look forward to reading more of her books in the contemporary and historical romance genres – two that I especially love.”

Read the review here: http://romancing-the-book.com/2017/11/review-trust-with-hearts-by-kelli-a-wilkins.html

Read about Trust with Hearts here: http://www.kelliwilkins.com/48501/10901.html

New Stuff for the New Year

I'm now on Instagram!!! Follow my wacky posts: https://www.instagram.com/kelliwilkins2/

I added my profile & books to Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kelli-a-wilkins

Check out my new look for Twitter & follow along: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor

Get FREE READS from all of my romances here: http://www.manicreaders.com/KelliAWilkins/

Stay tuned for website & blog updates/refreshes as the year progresses!

And… I’m putting the finishing touches on a new historical romance. This full-length novel  has a Gothic feel and will be out sometime in 2018. After that, I have more ideas for a new gay romance (or two), another historical, and a paranormal contemporary romance. Be sure to follow me on social media for the latest updates & news.

Looking for something to read? Catch up on these guest blogs:

Need some motivation to reach your goals in 2018? Check out my latest writing blog!  https://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/2018/01/set-your-writing-goals-for-new-year.html

If you love historical romances, don’t miss LOVING A WILD STRANGER. Read more about the book here: https://saphsbooks.blogspot.com/2018/01/romance-rewind-loving-wild-stranger-by.html

Read an excerpt from my contemporary romance, A DECEPTIVE MATCH, in this book spotlight:

https://princessofthelight.wordpress.com/2018/01/10/falling-for-the-wrestler-a-deceptive-match-by-kwilkinsauthor-romance-books-bookstagram/

Like Vikings? Read about my historical romance, THE VIKING’S WITCH. Post includes an excerpt!

http://www.ddsreviews.in/2018/01/spotlight-vikings-witch-by-kelli-wilkins.html

Kelli’s Corner

This month, I’m answering a few FAQ about my paranormal-comedy, Beauty & the Bigfoot.

Q: Beauty & the Bigfoot is certainly an unusual romance with a blend of comedy and sensuality. Tell us more about it. 

I knew that a romance about Bigfoot would have to be a comedy – nobody would buy into the idea of a “serious” love story about Bigfoot. From there, the idea, characters, and back story about the legend grew and morphed into the book. It’s sort of a modern take on Beauty and the Beast – with plenty of humor and drama to draw readers into Tara’s crazy world.

When I was writing the story, I was concerned about two aspects: One was readers being turned off/freaked out by the idea of a woman being intimate with a “monster” (or an “animal”); the second thing that concerned me was that readers wouldn’t “get” the wacky humor and unusual characterization of Tara and her father, Charlie.

I made sure I gave the Sasquatch a name, (Joe), and humanistic traits so readers can see him as Tara does – as a really hairy guy. I’m happy to say that Beauty & the Bigfoot has received several excellent reviews, so the story and humor are connecting with readers.

Q: Beauty and the Bigfoot is a romantic comedy. Is a sense of fun something you try to incorporate in much of your writing?

Some of my books feature characters that have odd or strange senses of humor or are just plain witty. (Prince Allan’s character in A Most Intriguing Temptation was so adorable and clever that I gave him a book of his own, A Most Unfortunate Prince. Allan is able to cope with bad situations and maintains his smartass sense of humor even though the book is not a comedy. A Most Unusual Princess also has a lot of humor in it. However, Beauty & the Bigfoot was the first book that I set out to intentionally make funny. 

It’s one thing to sprinkle in some humor here and there, but to start out trying to be funny can be a bit daunting. I try to make my stories fun or lighthearted in some scenes, dramatic in others, and steamy when the romance heats up. I think giving the characters variety helps – not everyone is always clever or always serious.

Q: How much research do you do before writing your books?

That depends on the type of story I’m writing. If I’m writing a historical, once I have a time period for the story, I research details and/or ideas for setting, clothing, occupations, or even the food that people ate. I like to weave details into the stories and blend them in as naturally as possible. When I’m writing fantasy romance, I invent my own “world” and history, so that cuts down on a lot of research. I don’t do much research for the contemporary romances. But if I need to know specific details about a subject for the sake of the character, I’ll find out all I can to make the character or situation believable.

I actually did a great deal of research before I wrote Beauty & the Bigfoot. Although I know a lot about Bigfoot, I had to know everything about the history and mythology of the creature. To write the part of Charlie (Tara’s “Bigfoot-expert” father) I needed to be able to rattle off all kinds of details about the creatures that only an avid Bigfoot hunter would know (sort of like how a baseball fan can recite a favorite player’s stats).

I went to the library and took out all the Bigfoot books they had. (And yes, I got strange looks from the librarian.) I also watched Bigfoot shows on TV. While doing research, I came across Sasquatch accounts that dated from as far back at the 1500s, and sightings that referred to them as wild men who sometimes took human wives. Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest have several names for the creatures and had their own legends, as well. All of that information got my imagination going, and the story took off from there.

A lot of the tiny details in the story are authentic – based on the research I did and the actual reported Bigfoot sightings. Knowing these details made it easier to understand the characters and write the story.

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I hope you enjoyed this issue of the Quill. Please share it with your social media friends. I welcome feedback and questions from readers, so drop me a line with your comments.

Until next time…

Kelli