Saturday, March 31, 2012

The 2012 A to Z Blogging Challenge Kick-off!




March 31, 2012

Tomorrow is the big day. I'm ready.

I've plotted and planned, set my schedule, written the entries and gathered the pictures. The exercise in discipline is complete. All that remains for me to do is make sure the daily post shows up properly. It's all good from here!

This year I'm blogging on twenty-six things that will give a glimpse into my writing world. I've titled the series, On Being a Published Writer. It's all about my experiences, and I hope you'll find some nuggets you can use in your own career.

Thank you for being a part of the A to Z Blogging Challenge 2012.

KC Kendricks
website at: http://www.kckendricks.com

blog: http://www.kckendricks.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
mailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1989106.K_C_Kendricks
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Kc-Kendricks/1439574042
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/kckendricks

Saturday, March 24, 2012

It's about time, you know

I've been blogging for a good number of years now. For whatever reason, the time has come to start using the PAGES feature here on Between the Keys.

Why now? I guess I finally decided what needed to be on a page. So check out the first "page" on The Men of Marionville series.

KC

Saturday, March 17, 2012

St. Patricks' Day - Give Me One Night

March 17, 2012


Give Me One Night is now available at 
AmazoniTunes/AppleBarnes and NobleKobo, and other online booksellers. 

Brody O’Connor joins the revelry of the yearly St. Patrick's Day pub crawl, hunting a like-minded man for a night of fun and frolic with no strings attached. When a mystery man in an emerald green shirt engages Brody’s interest, it doesn’t take long for the hunter to become the prey.

Well-matched with his mystery man, Brody regrets his "no strings" approach to a night of shared passion that leaves him hungry for more. The morning after, Evan is gone, as agreed. Brody knows it was a mistake to let him go, and vows to find him.

Evan also never expected to meet someone like Brody. Now Brody wants to change the rules, and Evan decides he’ll give Brody one more night to convince him to stay...


EXCERPT: (from Brody's point of view)

My quarry stood at the bar, sipping what appeared to be a soda. I stepped into the whirling lights, planted my feet, squared my shoulders, put my hands on my hips, and waited for him to spot me. It didn’t take long.

He looked me up and down, a slow, lazy appraisal that focused my attention on his face. Then he smiled and lowered his eyelids with a slight nod of his head.

In that instant I knew something about him there are no flowery or romantic words for – only gut instinct. He wanted me to fuck him.

My body responded to the knowledge. Arousal snapped through me, sending shivers down my spine. My nipples, sensitive as any girl’s, tingled to the point that the fabric of my sweater rubbing against them became deliciously painful. My cock swelled to its full seven and three quarter inch glory in a single pounding heartbeat.

I’d fuck him until he was limp as a rag doll in less time than that if I could get my hands on him.

His chin lifted, the knowledge of the game joined in his eyes. I gestured for him to join me on the dance floor. He smiled and weaved his way through the crowd in my direction. A dancer whirled between us and I bolted for the door, no doubt in my mind he’d follow.

I made it to my car in time to see him step out the door, pause, and look around. He handed something to the bouncer cum doorman. His keys?
He allowed others to drive his Jaguar? The man held stunning, hidden possibilities.

Sure enough, the burly attendant loped across the street and out of my line of sight. Within a minute, the Jag whirled into view and Blue Eyes reclaimed his ride. When he pulled out into the center lane, I steered my car in behind him.

The next stop, according to the pub crawl itinerary, was Rumours, and that was good for me. Blue Eyes turned left onto Potomac Street and his turn signal stayed on. I made a sharp left into the alley and the Rumours private rear parking lot.

Rumours was part of my regular circuit. I breezed through the kitchen door like I owned the place, which I did. I held a very modest, and quiet, ten percent of the business and the real estate.

Several of the wait staff yelled friendly profanities at me – and made a few offers. I smiled and waved as I hustled my way through, exiting the kitchen beside the bar. A buddy had the barstool on the end and I shooed him off it with the promise of imminent entertainment.

Thank heavens the chair was right in front of an air vent and a breeze blew from it to cool the mob of revelers. I was sweaty, sticky, and not because the night was at all warm. The bartender handed me a glass of ice water with a lime twist and I gulped down a few swallows.

No more alcohol for me until I got Blue Eyes home.

And speaking of, there he was, just on the other side of the dance floor, smiling at me, one eyebrow cocked up and looking amused. He gestured to me to join him with the same palm up wave of the arm I’d used at Tully’s.

I shook my head, lifting my glass to indicate I was thirsty. He clasped his hands over his chest and feigned heartbreak.

Right.

The dancer behind him was rubbing his butt, without any protest from Blue Eyes, so how crushed could he be? I finished my water and walked towards him, my gaze never leaving his. He stepped into the throng of dancers, meeting me halfway.

We moved easily to the music, our movements mirroring each other. I’d worry about the stupid grin on my face, but his expression matched mine. Our hips swayed closer. Our hands brushed. Blue Eyes turned, shaking his very well-shaped ass at me. I laughed in his ear, pulling him back against me. I was so achingly hard that my resolve to taunt him, to wear him down to a begging blob of gel, almost cracked. He grinned over his shoulder when I licked the rim of his ear.

“Are you going to tell me your name?”

I flashed my pearly whites at him. “Just before you come for the first time.”

“Cocky bastard, aren’t you?”

“You’ll have to wait a while to find that out.”


_*_*_

Give Me One Night is now available at 
AmazoniTunes/AppleBarnes and NobleKobo, and other online booksellers. 

KC Kendricks
My home on the web- Between the Keys: http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
twitter.com/kckendricks
facebook.com/kckendricks
pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards
instagram.com/kc_kendricks
My country life at Holly Tree Manor

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Worth Every Drop of Sweat - and Dime

March 13, 2012

My partner and I have tackled just about every home improvement project you can think of. It started in 1995 with our inaugural project together,the addition of a sunroom. The good, the bad, and the ugly of our somewhat new relationship was laid out for both of us to examine.

The good news - we both have a good knowledge base necessary for home improvement projects.
The bad news - we go at things from polar opposite ends.
The ugly - when we get tired, our vocabulary reaches new heights (or depths depending on your point of view).

In truth, we're a good team. We've just finished a kitchen re-vamp with new counters, new sink, new window and window trim, new backsplash, under cabinet lighting, and a light refinishing of the cabinetry. The floor is next provided I can decide on what I want.

It was a lot of work, but so worth it. I invite you to step into my kitchen with me :) I would have taken a picture of the island, but with everything on it, what would have been the point?

KC



Sunday, March 11, 2012

What are you doing on St. Paddy's Day?

March 11, 2012

St. Patrick's Day always brings my late aunt to mind. She was a true Irish lass who came to us by way of my one uncle. On St. Paddy's day, my aunt would prepare one of two dishes, depending on her mood and pantry - corn beef and cabbage or fried potatoes and eggs. Either way, she made sure those closest to her had a taste of Irish for dinner.

This year, St. Patrick's Day has a new meaning for me. My genealogy search turned up a surprising fact - my grandmother's lineage is of Irish descent! My fourth great-grandfather was born in Ireland in 1778. It's been interesting to map my family tree, and I'm very glad I took time out to do it. I've made contacts with a whole new group of cousins (i.e., playmates) and we never run out of things to talk about.

St. Patrick's Day brings something else new this year. The Amber Quill authors will take to the Amber Heat reader's list located at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/amberheatreaders(or you can send an email to amberheatreaders-subscribe@yahoogroups.com)
for a day of fun. They'll be some great excerpts, some give-aways, and ... and... you don't want to miss this part....THREE gift certificates for your choice of downloads from Amber Quill Press. Up for grabs is one $50 gift certificate, one $20, and one $10. Soooooo get over to the list and join now, then show up on March 17th and join the festivities. Joining the list is free and someone will win those gift certificates. It might as well be you
.

KC Kendricks
website at: http://www.kckendricks.comblog: http://www.kckendricks.blogspot.comTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricksmailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeysGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1989106.K_C_KendricksFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/people/Kc-Kendricks/1439574042MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/kckendricks




Thursday, March 1, 2012

The Road Between Past and Future


March 1, 2012
“Just because something is unknown does not necessarily mean it needs to be feared.” - Teyla Emmagan, Stargate Atlantis

As strange as it may sound coming from someone who writes contemporary romance, I’m a fan of most things sci-fi that paint a picture of a bright future. It’s simple, really. I’m a romantic!

“And so it begins.” - Kosh, Babylon 5

It all started with Star Trek. No, I’m not going to confess how young I was in 1966, but I will tell you my father wanted to watch Star Trek so we watched Star Trek. Every week. It broadened my thinking. I started to read science fiction and I fell in love with the genre.

“If we fail to anticipate the unforeseen or expect the unexpected in a universe of infinite possibilities, we may find ourselves at the mercy of anyone or anything that cannot be programmed, categorized or easily referenced.” – Mulder, X-Files

This love of sci-fi has been on my mind a lot lately. I’m working on the third installment of the Sundown series. In this story, my shapeshifter has to come clean about his people. Confessions will be in order, and Sundown doesn’t give up his secrets easily. And given the complexity of dealing with prying the secrets out of his alien Chal brain, it will take a while to finish the tale.

“Always in motion is the future.” – Yoda

Everyone is familiar with personal crossroads. Sometimes we see them in the distance and can prepare for them. Sometimes we run up on them so quickly we’re caught off-guard. I’ve come upon one and it surprised me. In order to keep my writing fresh, which road do I take? Who is to say I can’t explode different roads? Who’s to say you can’t? Isn’t it exciting to contemplate new things?

“I offer a toast: the undiscovered country – the future.” - the future (and late) Chancellor Gorkon of the Klingon Empire

If the future is our undiscovered country, then is the past our forgotten future? I always thought mapping my genealogy would be my retirement project, but the universe made it clear the time was now. To that end, I’ve connected with several cousins I didn’t know but who also work toward the common goal of discovering who we were that made us who we are. Finding those unknown people who made my past has added new colors to my future. They are blood strangers, but I will remember their names.

The world has once again expanded in unforeseen ways, and the little gems of wisdom spoken by characters in a future only imagined sparkle with new meaning.

KC Kendricks
website at: http://www.kckendricks.com/

blog: http://www.kckendricks.blogspot.com/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
mailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys