Maxie Briscoe, Werewolf

**Sadly, Melissa passed away several years ago**

Writing is a mixed bag of things. It's great fun, but it can also be great frustration. Sometimes the words pour out so fast, I can't type fast enough to get all the words down, and other times a ten-word sentence can take an hour to compose. (Tag line, anyone?) Sometimes inspirations and ideas are everywhere, and other times the muse is quieter, letting the me rest so I'll be ready when she zaps me with something new.

I think author Melissa Bradley got zapped by something amazing when she wrote Maxie Briscoe, Werewolf. Melissa and I both arrived at Amber Quill Press as 2008 Amber Heat Wave Winners, and I've enjoyed her stories. In Maxie, she's created a character that will shine for years to come, the kind of character we all hope to find.

I asked Melissa what were the first words Maxie Briscoe said to her, and this is what she said:

I was at a real low point, struggling with my writing, when Maxie kicked in the doors of my addled brain and said "The name's Maxie Briscoe and I am a werewolf. That's right, a real live full moon-loving, silver-hating, Halloween icon. Uh, you might want to start writing cuz I'm not gonna repeat myself." I used her words in the story and in the blurb because I loved them and they worked perfectly.

Perfect words to set the tone of the story, Melissa. You nailed it! Or should I say, Maxie nailed it?

Maxie Briscoe, Werewolf is a fun, sexy, extremely engaging murder mystery. It has dry wit and a biting edginess that kept me glued to my Kindle until I'd finished the book. I hope Melissa considers a new adventure for Maxie because Maxie is just too good to let go.

Here's the story blurb, and where you can find Maxie Briscoe:

The name's Maxie Briscoe and I am a werewolf…

That’s right, a real live, full moon-loving, Halloween icon. It’s hard out here for girl like me. To survive, I hide my true self and act the part of a normal human, all while discreetly indulging the Beast within. Talk about walking a narrow ledge. And that’s not even the worst part. Sex is. You see I can bench press a pick-up truck and that spells disaster in the bedroom. I can’t have any real fun knowing I might accidentally crush a lover while in the throes. Kind of kills the mood.


When a friend’s murder shatters the careful existence I’ve carved out, I come face-to-face with Damien and Noah, two of the hottest men I’ve ever laid eyes on. They are also the first werewolves I’ve run across since my conversion. The attraction is instant, but complicated, the sex… explosive.

And now there’s a killer out there with his sights on me …



KC Kendricks

Now available! The Back Stairs by KC Kendricks

May 24, 2010

New releases are always a lot of fun. The Back Stairs is number seventeen for me under the KC Kendricks brand. For what it's worth, seventeen is a recurring number in my life, and it usually brings something good. This is my first shapeshifter story with Fallon and Sundown, and I have a few more adventures for them, because Sundown doesn't give up his secrets easily. Living as a stranger in a strange land, who can blame him?

The trick will be, for me the writer, to balance the time spent with these characters with all the other stories trying to find their way onto the page. Well, the words I type go onto the monitor, but let's not split the proverbial hair.

So, without any more rambling, here's the promo for THE BACK STAIRS, my latest release.



THE BACK STAIRS
available now at

www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thebackstairs-2004038-145.html

Gay romance with a paranormal twist

Fallon Roxbury has a nose for trouble and the uncanny ability for landing in the middle of it the moment he finds it. While investigating the gruesome murder of a young male prostitute in the red-light district, Fallon gets a whiff of something very strange. Forensics has unidentified hairs. Very unidentified hairs, like nothing in any of the textbooks. Following a tip from a person of interest, Fallon meets Sundown, an apparent hustler who knows a lot more than he will admit.

Getting personally involved with Sundown breaks every rule in the police manual, and in Fallon’s own personal code. Sundown is like a drug, and Fallon can’t stop at just one hit. When Sundown is forced to reveal the truth, Fallon’s world is turned upside down, and he’s left with only two options: check himself in for psychiatric evaluation, or accept a new reality with a strange shift.

Shapeshifters, that is...

INTRO:

I took a breath to tell him I was leaving, and caught the aroma of fresh-brewed java beneath the scents of sandalwood and patchouli. I was tired of getting jerked around, even by a man so incredibly sexy. Put it on to brew, my ass.

“You’re awfully sure of yourself, aren’t you? I don’t need pseudo intimate conversation any more than I need to flirt.”

He shook his head. “You didn’t listen very well, Fallon.”

“Listen to what? I’ve a mind to haul your scrawny carcass down to the precinct house, and let someone else pick your brain for answers, but I don’t have a legitimate reason to have you interrogated. Yet.”

“Tough talk, but you don’t mean any of it. Please, Fallon. Come. Sit at my table, and think of nothing but my very good coffee.”

Would it be so bad to spend half an hour talking with this attractive young man? Heaven help me, he drew me, a tired moth to his steady flame. And he had my favorite coffee, already hot.

Words echoed in my memory. I tried to pull them in so I could hear them again. What had Muffin said? More importantly, it was what she hadn’t said. She didn’t actually say anyone here knew Michael Carlton.

“I’ll sit at your table on one condition.”

He tilted his head, a smile teasing his full lips. “Oh? What is that?”

“You tell me your name.”

Was it victory I saw in his green eyes, or desire? I needed to know if they were the same. His chin lifted as his gaze locked to mine.

“You can call me Sundown.”

I trembled as the girl’s words resonated within me.

Take the back stairs. You’ll find what you need there.


EXCERPT:

I was two steps beyond the third landing when a male voice called to me from below. My heart slammed against my ribs.

“Lieutenant Roxbury, wait up.”

I paused and looked over my shoulder as Sundown took the steps, two at a time, to catch up. He stopped on the landing below me and met my gaze, his green eyes alight with amusement.

“I did not expect you to return so soon, Fallon.”

I wasn’t in the mood to waste time in small talk. He’d deliberately sidetracked me the other night and, as wonderful as the diversion had been, he needed to know I was aware of his tactics.

“The girl I spoke with at the crime scene is your sister, and you didn’t tell me. Why?”

“Because she is not my sister. I wouldn’t lie to you.”

I hopped down the two steps to the landing. “Listen, Sundown, or whatever your name really is, I have photos of her, part of the formal record of the crime scene. She looks enough like you to be your twin. If I hadn’t let my dick control me, I’d have put it together last night.”

He glanced away, a quick darting of his gorgeous eyes, then he looked back.

“She is not my sister, but we share a bloodline. She is gone, Fallon.”

“You’re hindering my investigation by hiding her.”

Sundown shook his head. “She didn’t see Michael Carlton, dead or alive, or anyone else go in or out of the alley until your people showed up.”

I clamped down on my anger. “That’s good to know, but I need to hear it from her.”

“Do you?” He cocked his head to the side. “You’re out of luck, Fallon. She is gone from here, and it is beyond my ability to bring her back.”

“Why’d she send me here, then?”

His green eyes flashed with his inner fire, anchoring me where I stood. “So I could give you want you needed, Fallon. What you need me to give you again.”

“Don’t be so damn sure of yourself. I don’t need you.” I lied, and he knew it, the knowledge reflected back at me in his level gaze.

“Come inside and tell me you do not need what I offer you.”

I didn’t think I could. My resolve to bully him into giving up Muffin’s whereabouts waned with every pheromone-laden breath I took. I stood inside the ring of warmth and scent that surrounded him. My erection relentlessly swelled toward completion, and I couldn’t stop it.

“I can’t compromise my investigation further, Sundown. Carlton’s parents are flying in to claim the body. I need to have answers for them.”
His fingers grazed mine, the gentle touch heating my blood.

"I knew you were a good man. I trust you, Fallon. Will you trust me?”

“I trust you to be nothing but trouble.”

THE BACK STAIRS

Available at:

iTunes

itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1098336257

Available at Amazon

www.amazon.com/Back-Stairs-Sundown-Saga-Book-ebook/dp/B01F1J1X46

Barnes & Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-back-stairs-k-c-kendricks/1027224556?ean=2940152768510

KOBO

www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-back-stairs

KC Kendricks

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

My country life at Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

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

Interview up!

Recently, I had the distinct pleasure to meet author Mahalia Levey. Not only is she a published author, but she's a reviewer for NovelSisterhood, and maintains the Novelsisterhood blog. When she asked if I'd like to give an interview for the blog, of course I said yes!

It was posted this morning at: http://novelsisterhood.blogspot.com/2010/05/please-welcome-author-kc-kendricks.html

I hope you'll check it out. And check out Mahalia Levey's new book, "Embrace the Moment," on her website at www.mahalialevey.com .

KC
http://www.kckendricks.com

Pump my tires, baby

May 13, 2010

Remember how I whined about struggling with the 'coming soon' promo? Well, let me just say, it's time to eat my words.

Coming later this summer: Open Roads by KC Kendricks.

All I can say is baby, you can drive my car. 

It's all about the research

May 6, 2010

Do you know how many books have been written over the centuries? Me, neither. I won’t even venture a guess. I’m not even sure what brought the question to mind, except that I needed to do a little research last night and twiddled away three hours. Seriously. Three hours! And I never left the Amazon website! What was I researching so studiously? Book titles.

It’s amazing that with all the books out there, more titles don’t overlap. It’s reassuring in a way, that there is still some uniqueness in the market place, and what an author comes up with for a title can stand on its own. It also helped me repopulate my prospective title list, especially titles for the shapeshifter stories. Fallon still has a lot to learn about his new shapeshifter lover, and Sundown doesn’t give up his secrets easily, not even to Fallon. (And then there’s the fact that his clan needs Sundown for procreation. Can’t go there yet. That’s just a little tease for what’s ahead.)

So what did I find? That the word ‘under’ generated over 90,000 hits on Amazon. Guess that won’t be part of anyone’s title after they read that, eh? I scratched it off my list in a hurry. The word ‘seducing’ garnered 228 hits. That’s not bad. I’d use ‘seducing’ if I hadn’t already done so, which made me curious.

Sorting those 228 hits by ‘bestselling’ found SEDUCING LIGHT at number 31 of the ‘seducing’ titles. That’s thirty-one. T-h-i-r-t-y-o-n-e.

Yes, I looked twice. Three times, even, and it didn’t change. Do you begin to see how I frittered away the hours?

While it might seem like a total waste of time, it wasn’t. We authors spend a lot to time debating what’s the best title for our stories, all the while knowing that once we sign the contract with the publisher, they have the right to change the title. I’ve not had that happen, per se. The head guru at Amber Allure has discussed titles with me from time to time, and we have always agreed on the little tweaks. A good publisher is one helluva good resource.

The information absorbed last night will rest in my subconscious until I need it. I may not even be aware of it, when debating a new title, but that’s okay. For today, I’ll just be happy with the knowledge that SEDUCING LIGHT is doing well, and that Amazon is good for more things than taking my money.

Yes, I bought a few things last night, strictly for [enjoyable] research.

KC Kendricks

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

My country life at Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

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

Kicking and Screaming all the way

The Back Stairs

A few days ago, I wrote how I didn't like the 'coming soon' promo - and I still don't. But writing about it, seeing the words on the screen, made me stop and think of why I don't like doing it.

The thundering herd has a certain momentum that sucks everything in and drags one along. That's not a bad thing. It's quite useful. There is safety in numbers, after all. But how does one stand out as a part of the thundering herd? It's easier to get trampled under foot. (Led Zeppelin, anyone?)

I actualy admire people like Rick R. Reed who can promo their butts off and still write a really good book. I'm sure he makes decisions, every day, as to whether to write in the morning, promo in the morning, or do something like eat breakfast and exercise in the morning. We are the choices we make.

Usually, I choose writing first above all else. Except for when I'm at the day job, or fixing dinner, or doing the laundry, or handling some family business/crisis. I'm at the day job now, and while I can be online a bit and blog, I don't dare work on actually writing the story. That's difficult on those days, like today, when I'm waiting for the work to filter through others and get to me. I'm a Gemini. I'm easily bored.

Which leads me back to the 'coming soon' promo. I'm spending this morning with an idle brain, and that is never a good thing unless it can be put to work on self-improvement. Thinking only looks lazy, but it's actually hard work.

So, in an effort to get over myself when it comes to doing the 'coming soon' promo, I have resolved to take each new story and do at least a minimum of the CSP.

Just don't hold me to it, because I'm sure I'll still choose writing the next story first.

You can find The Back Stairs at 
www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thebackstairs-2004038-145.html

KC Kendricks
Visit my website at: http://www.kckendricks.com
Follow me on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
Check out the MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/kckendricks
Join my mailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys

Amber Allure Top Ten Best Sellers - April 2010

**Update** This title is now in its second edition!

**While Amber Quill Press has closed, it doesn't change the fact A Hard Habit to Break was on the AQP Best Seller list.** 

May 3, 2010

I got some good news this morning - A Hard Habit to Break was the #4 best seller at Amber Allure in April! I'm always thrilled when the bestseller stats are posted, and not just for me. The other writers published at the same houses as you have a direct impact on your career. Being surrounded by good writers keeps you on your toes and always giving your best effort.

You can participate in seminars, webinars, take classes, and read a library full of how-to books, but you can't buy what you get when you have great people around you.

Without more rambling, here's the list for April.

AMBER ALLURE / April 2010  (Amber Quill closed in March 2016)

1. Duncan's World - T. A. Chase (Gay / Contemporary)
2. Pinky Swear - Lynn Lorenz (Gay / Contemporary)
3. Only For Him - Shawn Lane (Gay / Contemporary)
4. A Hard Habit To Break - KC Kendricks (Gay / Contemporary)
5. Still The One - Shawn Lane (Gay / Contemporary)
6. The Delaneys And Me - Anne Brooke (Gay / Contemporary)
7. When The Jazzman Sings - Karma Eastwick (Gay / Contemporary)
8. (Boys Of The Zodiac) Taurus: All That You Do - Jamie Craig (Gay / Contemporary)
9. Independence Day 2 - Christiane France (Gay / Contemporary)
10. Beyond The Shadows - Deirdre O'Dare (Gay / Paranormal)


A Hard Habit to Break is Book One in the Men of Marionville series. 

Available now at Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and other online booksellers. 

KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com