Sunday, September 28, 2014

The Passing of September

September 28, 2014

I recall mentioning I thought September would be a busy month. Looking back, I was being a bit naive. The month was busy. It was hectic and I may have brought it on myself. You know the old saying "be careful what you wish for" don't you? I think the universe misunderstood my blog post and thought I needed even more to do. 

This September brought sadness to a day which should have been celebrated. My young cousin passed the day of his second wedding anniversary without his bride, who left this life this past June. There is little any of us can do to ease his grief except stand with him, and this we willingly do. 

We did accomplish much of the outside work. Flower pots and beds are cleared, patio furniture is stored in the shed for the winter, the little pool is rolled up and put away for next year, and a new drainage ditch is dug behind the house. There are two cords of split firewood at the ready. Yes, we did a lot of hard work but looking back it feels more like accomplishment than chore. 

On the writing front..... things have been weird on the writing front. Refer to my statement above about being careful what you wish for. I wanted to spread the KC Kendricks brand, the theory being readers who never heard of me would buy a book and then go looking for my backlist. Sounds reasonable, does it not? So I submitted to the industry acknowledged largest epublisher. Won't do that again... It's been supremely interesting and alarmingly educational. 

The latest installment in Ian Coulter's Amethyst Cove is almost complete. In fact, I should be working on that manuscript right now instead of blogging. (I'm letting my brain rest.) An idea for another story hit me and I banged out about 3K on it while the opening was fresh in my mind. I'm never out of ideas, just time. 

So now I'll leave you with a little promo - Dreams to Sell, book eight of the Men of Marionville series is available. It's a story about a guy who falls for the Realtor who sells him his dream house. I enjoy writing characters who have some maturity about their relationships. 

That's about it on this last Sunday in September 2014. I'm going into the writing cave. It's safe there. See you on the other side! 

KC

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Now available - Dreams to Sell by KC Kendricks

September 21, 2014

DREAMS TO SELL
Dreams to Sell - book eight in the Men of Marionville series. 
Dreams to Sell is available at AmazoniTunesBarnes and NobleKobo and other online book sellers. 
 

Keith Mitchell needs a new challenge in his life. When an old friend pitches him a business proposition he agrees to pull up stakes and more to Marionville. Keith decides his new house will be in the style he’s always dreamed of having even if he will live in it alone.  

Realtor Terry Stattler has one goal in mind for his clients: find and sell them the house of their dreams. Recently widowed, Terry’s not in the market for companionship, or so he believes. His latest client is handsome, interesting and his age, but is he really ready to love again?

Keith becomes an eager suitor, waging a persistent siege until Terry gives into temptation. When Terry finds the right house for him, Keith redoubles his efforts to win Terry’s heart. After all, what good is a the perfect house if the man of your dreams won’t share it with you?


SHORT EXCERPT:

“Listen, Keith. We need to get something out in the open here. You’re a client. We’re conducting business.”
But he hadn’t said he wasn’t interested.
“I won’t always be a client. I’m going to buy a house here, sooner rather than later. Then what are you going to do when I ask you out for a romantic dinner?”
“Don’t push me, Keith.”
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Dylan and Cass stand. I took a gulp of my lukewarm coffee. “I guess we’re going.”
Quick as lightning, he reached out and grabbed my wrist. “Don’t go. I’ll give you a ride home. Finish your coffee.”
Goosebumps skittered across my buttocks and down the back of my thighs at his touch. I wanted to take him up on his offer, but what did he really want? I covered his hand with mine and was inordinately pleased he didn’t pull away.
“Thanks, Terry, but I think tonight I should go with them. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He slid his hand out from between my wrist and palm. “So you’re going to make me say ‘please’?”

 _*_*_

For a longer excerpt, please visit the book page here

Dreams to Sell - book eight in the Men of Marionville series. 
Dreams to Sell is available at AmazoniTunesBarnes and NobleKobo and other online book sellers. 

 KC Kendricks

Life through the eyes of Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com


Family Circles

September 21, 2014

Yesterday our family welcomed it's newest member. She's already keeping her mother awake having arrived just before four a.m. I doubted my young cousin minded having been anxious to meet her new daughter. 

For me her arrival on September 20 is an answer to a small prayer I uttered when told she was to arrive mid-September. She was born on her what would have been her great-great grandmother's 99th birthday. 

She'll never know her great-great grandmother - my grandmother - but some day I'll tell her some stories and it will be great-great fun!

KC
   

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Dreams to Sell by KC Kendricks- available this weekend

September 20, 2014
**Updated 4/2/21 - the My Sexy Saturday blog hop has been closed.**

Dreams to Sell, the latest installment in the Men of Marionville series, is set to launch this weekend. What time exactly? It all depends on when the powers that be at Amber Quill are satisfied the website is ready. Join my mailing list and be one of the first to know when it Dreams to Sell goes live. (The button is to the left.)

In preparation of Dreams to Sell, here's seven sexy paragraphs for My Sexy Saturday.

_*_*_*_


“You’re a good man, aren’t you?”

“I try to be, Keith. So here I am. Sitting in the dark with you and wondering what the hell I’m doing.”

“You could say you’re taking a look at your options, same as me.”

“That’s kinda scary.”

I guessed it was for him. What would it be like to be part of a couple, to believe you’d always be part of a couple, and then suddenly be single again? Not everyone was accomplished at quickly shifting emotional gears, There seemed to me only one thing to do. I leaned over and kissed him.

It was a chaste kiss, a gentle pressing of my lips to his, and yet that soft, clinging touch shot through me and ripped the air from my lungs. I heard him inhale sharply before he pulled away. I needed to catch my breath and perhaps apologize. “Terry.”

“Don’t. Don’t say anything.” 

_*_*_*_

Dreams to Sell - book eight in the Men of Marionville series. 

Dreams to Sell is available at AmazoniTunesBarnes and NobleKobo and other online book sellers. 

For more about Dreams to Sell, please visit http://www.kckendricks.com/DreamstoSell.html

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks

Life through the eyes of Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

The Ghost Wore Denim - cover reveal

September 17, 2014

It's time for something new! A new cover for a new story - The Ghost Wore Denim.

It seems that not every ghost is a spooky ghost. Some can be downright helpful as our heroes Michael and Colin find out. Christiane France and I hope you'll enjoy The Ghost Wore Denim. 

We enjoyed working on the project together and think the finished story turned out pretty darn good.

Look for The Ghost Wore Denim on October 4 or 5. It sorta depends on when the powers that be at Amber Allure push the button to send the book live. Join my mailing list to receive a notification because I watch closely for the release and send a post. (Join button is on the left side of your screen.)

So now here's a little more about The Ghost Wore Denim:

Michael Brooks had it all mapped out. The market was ripe for him to flip a few houses to supplement his income as an untenured professor at the local college. His plan took a detour when he found a two-story Colonial perfect for a Bed & Breakfast – with a ghost who wears denim.

Deputy Colin Jefferson is a hometown boy who made good. As a member of the local police force he serves the community he loves. He’s heard stories about the Taylor Mansion ghost all his life. Maybe he’s even seen it a time or two, if he believed in that sort of thing.

And Colin has to believe when the ghost pays a visit and Michael asks for his help.

  _*_*_*_*_

To read an excerpt, please visit my website at
http://www.kckendricks.com/TheGhostWoreDenim.html

KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com
http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
http://www.facebook.com/kckendricks

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Lucky number 7?

September 11, 2014

There is a lot to be serious about and thankful for today. We must never forget the events of September 11, 2001, and we must be certain those who come after us remember and not become complacent. But even as we pause to remember, life can put something interesting in our path. Mine came this morning on the drive to work. 

77777

Lucky number 7? Times seven? 

It's not good to over think these things, but I think I'll play variants of seven in the lottery today. 



KC
http://www.kckendricks.com
http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Everyone loves lists - my top ten classic rock albums

September 9, 2014

I’m a rock ‘n roll baby. Well, being a product of the sixties and seventies, the nineteen seventies, that is, I guess I’d better say I’m a CLASSIC ROCK ‘n roll baby.

Everyone loves lists. Top five. Top ten. Top fifty. Top one hundred. How far can one spread the joy? When it comes to music, pretty darn far. There’s no escaping lists, so if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Right?

Recently I read someone’s blog with their top fifty album picks. Of their picks, I only had TWO of the works. It got me thinking.

“If you were stuck on a desert island and could only choose ten albums…..”

It turned out to be harder than I thought, but not impossible. Ranking them? That is impossible. Each defines a time in my life, good or bad. So here’s my list, with some brief comments on why each album speaks to me.

Agree or disagree, it doesn’t matter. It’s my list, so get over it.

 Madman Across the Water – Elton John (1971)

If anyone has laid down the soundtrack of my life, it has to be Elton. Every song brings back a memory, but none as sweet and soulful as those invoked by “Tiny Dancer”, the first Elton song I ever heard, and still my favorite of all of Elton's song. Elton’s clear tenor and clean piano set the stage for a love affair that has lasted forty-three years, much longer than my marriages. I still sing along every time this song comes on the radio.



 News of the World – Queen (1977)
 From the arena anthem of “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions”, to the gut-wrenching love gone awry of “It’s Late,” News of the World is seamless. With less orchestration than previous albums, this album lays the groundwork for the future of Queen. News of the World sparkles, ice cold at times, as it serves up generous helping of male angst and aggression while showcasing the incredible vocals of Freddie Mercury. I saw Queen in concert after News of the World was released. it remains an incredible piece of work.
 


 Rumours – Fleetwood Mac (1977)
 One of the top-selling albums of all time, worldwide, Rumours rocks with emotion. Every rocker knows the story of the group at this point (find it on Google if you don’t because I don’t have space here). It’s Stevie Nicks asking “have you any dreams you’d like to sell” that drew me in. Maybe I was out of dreams in 1977. Who knows? I saw FM in concert at the old Capital Centre. We waited all day to get good seats and the wait paid off. Rumours still plays as fresh as when it was released thirty-seven years ago.

 


All the Right Reasons – Nickelback (2005)
 What is it with this album? Other than Chad Kroger’s ass looks good in tight jeans, that is. And that raspy voice (shades of Rod Stewart). I don’t know and I don’t care what it is about this album. I like it. My pick of the album?  “Next Contestant”, a testosterone-driven ditty with a male-to-male caveman message. I’m sure other drivers wonder why I’m grinning like a fool when it plays but I've witnessed first hand the behavior the song is about. Next Contestant is also my ringtone for an unknown caller. 
  




Anthology - .38 Special

It’s true. I like Southern Rock, and .38 Special are the good, the bad, and the ugly of the genre. When they miss, they miss. But when they strike, it’s chain lightning. Anthology weeds out most, but not all, of the misses and allows the guitars to fall where they may. 
 


Back in Black – AC/DC (1980)
The true definition of “edgy” to me. It’s not people my age playing songs from this album on the jukebox at the bowling alley. It’s teenagers. The message doesn’t need to be put into words, although it was. “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution, rock and roll will never die.” Back in Black is the ONLY album I have on vinyl, cassette, CD and yes, my God, I actually had it on 8-track. Thank heavens it didn't cost anything to put it on my iPod and Evo. 
 




Led Zeppelin II – Led Zeppelin (1970)

My introduction to FM radio came screaming out of the air from the land of the ice and snow, from the midnight sun where the hot springs blow. With front man Robert Plant’s painted on jeans and Jimmy Page’s painted on smirk, they climbed a stairway to heaven to prove Zeppelin truly was the hammer of the gods to rock and roll. What more can be said except, "Get the Led out..."



 In Step – Stevie Ray Vaughan (1989)

Stevie who? I’d no clue when a friend presented me with a ticket to a dual concert. Stevie Ray Vaughan first, followed by Gregg Allman on the I’m No Angel tour. By the end of the SRV set, I could be ranked among his fans. SRV is often imitated but there is only one Stevie Ray. The tradgey of his loss is that he'd finally put his life together and had begun to realize the promise of his talent. Only the good die young. 


 
Psycho City – Great White (1992)
Great White is a frequently bypassed band. Marred by tragedy and substance abuse, the band is no more, but to me Psycho City stands as its proudest moment. Big guitar riffs, perfectly executed piano bridges, and raspy vocals begging for love while acting the cock of the walk merge for some hard driving rock music.
 




Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen (1984)
No. It wasn't his ass that made Bruce a star (but it helped). Springsteen came of age with Born in the USA. He’s not been this good since. Cult artist or rock superstar, Bruce both lifted up and tore down middle-class America with the songs on this album. If you hadn’t lived it, you at least recognized it, and I bet you can still sing along to every song.
 



***
 
And that’s my top ten classic rock albums. I have a few honorable mentions, but since the steamer trunk to that desert island has to hold a lot of sunscreen, I just don’t have room for them tonight. 


KC
http://www.kckendricks.com
http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Beneath Dark Stars by KC Kendricks for #MSS58

September 6, 2014
**Updated 4/2/21 - the My Sexy Saturday blog hop has been closed.**

Welcome to Between the Keys and another My Sexy Saturday! This week's MSS is about aliens and the "other worldly" worlds we all love. I met my first shapeshifter in 1969 -  Jorth in Moon of Three Rings, who was Krip Vorlund in barsk skin. I was captivated and fascinated.

Creating my very own shapeshifter was more fun than anyone is due. He's sexy, bratty, smart, irreverent and a prince among his people. He's Sundown and he found his perfect mate in Detective Fallon Roxbury.

Here are seven sexy paragraphs from Beneath Dark Stars (book two in the Sundown Saga).

= = = = = =
Sundown belly-flopped his way across the mattress and draped his leg over my thighs as his lips nuzzled below my ear. My hand was trapped beneath his torso, but I managed to work my fingers to his belly button. I almost expected it to vanish, but he maintained the illusion of having one.

“You have taught me much, Fallon.”

“I aim to please.” I wondered what he wanted that he felt the need to soften me up before he asked for it. I wiggled my hand lower until my fingertips grazed his cock. “Just remember you wear this skin for only me, Sundown.”

“I never forget.” He levered up on his elbow to kiss me. I cupped the back of his head with my free hand and licked his warm lips.

Sundown deepened the kiss, moving his lips over mine. His tongue teased mine with its silky heat, coaxing me to meet him in a mock battle for the lead. There was no way for either of us to lose.

I’d promised him a full-body massage, so it surprised me when he kept me pinned to the mattress and kissed his way to my nipples. He rarely topped unless I asked, but I knew he intended to fuck me. The need to have him sink into me, to abandon myself to the fierce pleasure of it at his hands, seized me.

Sundown’s body molded to mine, his shapeshifter skin flowing like some dry liquid against mine, stroking me all over without moving. I struggled to find breath amid the ever-sharper jolts of arousal slamming my system in rapid waves. He surrounded me with whisper soft caresses, which suddenly focused on my stiff cock.

= = = = =

BENEATH DARK STARS 
Gay romance with a paranormal shift
available now at AmazoniTunes/AppleBarnes and NobleKobo, and other online booksellers. 


More about Beneath Dark Stars:


Fallon Roxbury, seasoned detective and special police consultant, knows that appearances can be deceiving. Trained to gather the clues and arrive at logical conclusions, he fits the puzzles pieces of a situation together to find the truth. But there’s nothing reasonable in Fallon’s attraction to the sexy, secretive shapeshifter called Sundown.

Sundown has studied people all his life. Having his very own human male is all he ever wanted. In Fallon, he’s found a man he can trust with his secrets and reveal his true nature. Keeping Fallon happy is a joyful exercise Sundown puts his heart and soul into - when he’s not teasing Fallon’s police partner by leaving strange footprints at crime scenes, that is.

Fallon’s new case ties into an old one. At a dead end, he knows it’s time to ask Sundown for a little help. With his special abilities, Sundown can get into places Fallon can’t. All Fallon has to do is figure out a way to prove what he already knows. But what’s a cop to do when the truth takes a shift that’s stranger than fiction? 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks

Life through the eyes of Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

Monday, September 1, 2014

A Busy September Ahead

September 1, 2014

Happy Labor Day 2014 to all! Thanks to everyone who works hard, even on Labor Day, to keep our country strong. 

Quite often September isn't sure if she's coming or going, but we welcome her for what she is as she prepares us for October's splendor.

The end of summer. The beginning of the school year.
The reaping of the harvest. The gathering of seeds for spring. 
The falling of leaves. The planting of grass.
The evening chill. The warmth of first fires. 

September brings a flurry of activity to my world. There's lots of yard work to be done as the deer stand in the woods and watch. It's time to cut or uproot dying flowers, one by one, as the daylight hours shorten. There's all the downed wood to cut, split and stack. Mother Nature provides us with what's needed to heat the house in cold weather but she doesn't give it for free. We must labor for it. 

Our little pool needs to be drained and stored for next year. The hummingbird feeders need to be removed and cleaned in the attempt to hasten the departure of the tiny birds south to warmer climes. I've been outside listening for the screech owls to begin calling but nothing yet. 

On the writing front, September brings a new KC releases: Dreams to Sell. And while this is coming out, my alter ego will begin the process to self-publish some older titles that have been out of print for several years. 

Dreams to Sell - book eight in the Men of Marionville series. Dreams to Sell is available at AmazoniTunesBarnes and NobleKobo and other online book sellers. 

Will this leave me time to actually write? I believe so. With the ousting of the previous CEO, my lot at the day job has improved immeasurably. I find I can function again. It's like a new job at the same desk. Weird and wonderful. 

For the first time, I'm taking this week off. Being at my day job for many years, I get a generous amount of vacation time, but with that said I think taking the days after a Monday holiday off helps maximize that benefit. I realize how fortunate I am with paid vacation and I promise I'll make good use of this time and not squander it.  

KC
http://www.kckendricks.com