Straight Chatting from the Library: Kimberly Keyes

This tour is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Kimberly will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

READ THE INTERVIEW

What is the favorite book you remember as a child?

My favorite childhood book, without a doubt, was The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. I got so lost in the story.I re-read that book several times as a child, and again at forty-something.

What is your favorite book today?

I don’t think I have one favorite in particular. I have favorite authors, and favorite books by those authors. Does that count? I love Lisa Kleypas, Rachel Gibson, J.R. Ward’s mainstream romances, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jill Shalvis, Jayne Ann Krentz, Elizabeth Thornton, and Julia Quinn.

As far as non-romance, I love Peter Rothfuss and Anthony Ryan, both epic fantasy writers.

I love Diana Gabaldon, especially the first four books in her Outlander series.

Tell us about your current book in 10 words.

Mistaken identity meets steamy romance meets true love heals all.

What are you reading right now?

I’m in the middle of two fictions and one nonfiction (of course!) Elizabeth Thornton’s The Scot and I, Anthony Ryan’s Tower Lord, and Mary Buckham’s Writing Active Setting.

What books do you have on hold at the library?

At any given time I’m waiting for a new release by Jayne Ann Krentz, an oldie but a goodie by John MacDonald (his color suspense series), or whichever Anthony Ryan book I’m reading—because they’re super long and due to my reading/writing habits, I don’t get through them in the 21 day lending period. I also usually have a new author’s book, (new to me) on hold.

Do you have any bad book habits?

I would say, yes. I don’t always finish books. I try—even if they’re slow to hook me. I especially try when the book is by an author that I love, or if the book is part of a series I’m reading. But sometimes, if enough time has gone by, and I haven’t picked up the book, I give up because I know I’m never going to go back to it.

E-Reader or print? and why?

E-reader! Because I travel a lot and this way I can bring as many books along with me as I want!! (Books are heavy! Plus they’re easy tools in hotel rooms or seat-back pockets on planes) But if I end up with a hard copy, I’ll read that too. Most likely I won’t take it on a trip with me, though. I do like having hard copy by my favorite authors. This way, I can neatly line-up their books on my book shelf. Also, I can go back and re-read them or flip through them to get ideas. For instance, those one-liners on book covers? Those are hard to write! I look back at the authors’ works that I admire and see how they write an 11 word or less hook.

One book at a time or multiples?

Multiples. :-) Sometimes I grab too many to read, though, and forget I have a book by an author I want to try. I miss out on finding new authors that I might love that way, which is a real shame. I love having go-to authors, and the more the better!!

Dog-ear or bookmark? (don't worry—Librarian Judith won't hold it against you—much)

BOOKMARK! I hate wrecking my cherished books.

Least favorite book you've read this year?

I do have one…but I won’t say which it is. Writing is such a labor of love, and so personal, and don’t I know it! So, even if I don’t like an author’s work personally, I know opinions are subjective. I could never cast aspersions on another author’s work, especially after being in his or her shoes!!

Favorite book you've read this year?

I think that would be a fantasy book, actually! Anthony Ryan’s epic Bloodsong. Although, I’m really enjoying Jill Shalvis’s series books. I especially loved her Lucky in Love. Her hero in that one is the perfect blend of bad boy meets unlikely Knight in Shining Armor.

When do you do most of your reading?

I read when I travel and when I wait on appointments and before I go to sleep.

Favorite place to read?

I love to read in bed with my puppies snuggled up beside me. :-)

Favorite genre?

Romance is my favorite, no doubt about it. Love, Love, Love ‘em.

Do you loan your books?

I loan my books, absolutely.

Favorite book to recommend?

The one book I know that every woman who’s read it raves over, regardless of her station in life, her background, or her age, is Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander.

How do you keep your books organized?

I have my fiction books grouped by author, in order if the books are part of a series. I have a Lisa Kleypas shelf, a Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick shelf, a Rachel Gibson shelf, a Susan Elizabeth Phillips Shelf.

And here is the bad side of e-books. I have read so many John MacDonald books (suspense writer from the 60’s and 70’s) and Jill Shalvis, but they’re all on my Kindle! I would like to have both, I think. The digital version to read, the paperback version to admire and reference.

I think that must be how musicians feel about their guitars…

As far as non-fiction goes, I group those books by subject. I heave a self-help section, a religious section, a research section, a history, geography section, a poetry section.

Re-reader or not?

Re-reading is rare, but I do it. I like to wait till the book isn’t fresh in my memory bank though, so I can re-live the magic of the story. I’ve re-read Lisa Kleypas’ Again the Magic and Because You’re Mine. I intend to re-read Susan Elizabeth Phillips' Kiss an Angel, because I love it so much. I intended to re-read Judith McNaught’s Until You, but it disappeared!!!

What would make you not finish a book?

I won’t finish a book if the writing annoys me, as in it seems unpolished, as if the author did not take the time to learn her craft before rushing to publish.

I also don’t finish a book if life distracts me and the book is not compelling enough to drag me back to finish it.

Sometimes I quite reading a book because I feel I got the meat out of it (the juicy, good part) and the rest is going to be like fluff and not add anything to my way of thinking (much like wasted calories!). Recently I read a book by one of my fav’s. (Not saying who) As the romance unfolded and the tension built, the story was great. Then the hero and heroine got together. That was great, too! But when they had their black moment, it seemed contrived. I never finished that book, yet I did enjoy the part I read. Hope that makes sense!

Keep books or give them away?

Hmm. I usually keep books. I occasionally give them away. Favorite authors? Never, unless I somehow ended up with two copies of the same book. Signed copies? Never part with them. And then there’s a few that I can part with. I guess it’s because I have only so much shelf room.

Thank you so much for having me visit your site!! <3

READ THE BLURB

After finding her fiancé in bed with another woman, Candace, a twenty-something, up-and-coming romance novelist takes off for a friend’s vacation home in Tahoe. The good news? She’ll share the place with fellow house guest, Logan, her best friend Eric’s latest lover. Except...

Logan, the nearly-irresistible-to-women photographer, isn’t Eric’s lover. Not now, not ever. He’s in Tahoe licking his own personal wounds, and before he’s allowed near Candace, he’s sworn off of her. No problem. Except...

There’s something about Candace. She’s not simply beautiful and enticingly off-limits. It’s in the way she doesn’t flirt with him. In the way she treats him like he isn’t a shallow pleasure-seeker. In the way, somehow, she brings peace to his world-weary soul.

Too bad she thinks he’s gay. But even if he can clear that hurdle, can he really entrust Candace’s heart to his own haphazard keeping?

READ AN EXCERPT

After a while she turned to gaze at Logan’s profile. One tanned forearm rested easily on the steering wheel, the other settled over the stick shift, just inches from her upper thigh. Her eyes drifted over his long, denim covered legs, stretched out in front of him in an almost leisurely sprawl. It struck her she couldn’t remember ever feeling so utterly feminine, and so totally safe, in a man’s presence. Being with Logan felt so…right.

The peace inside her snapped in the face of her inappropriate affection for a man she hardly knew. A man involved with one of her best friends--who also happened to be a man. She dragged her gaze away, pinching her eyes closed and fisting her hands in her lap. What in the world was wrong with her?

“Everything all right?” Logan asked, his words piercing the silence. She shot him a look and saw his eyes flicking over her clenched hands. Did the man miss nothing?

She forced her hands to unfurl. “Just thinking.” Over thinking. So she enjoyed his company. That was no crime. Besides, it was already Wednesday and he’d be leaving some time this weekend. How much trouble could she possibly get herself into?

MEET THE AUTHOR

Kimberly Keyes knew before she was old enough to drive, writing was her passion. Specifically, writing romance. Once she got up the courage to start typing, she never looked back—although some of her earlier works will never get further than underneath her bed!

She writes single title contemporary and historical romance, Victorian era, and is most comfortable working on two books in the two different genres, simultaneously.

The bulk of her time she spends writing, and re-writing, plotting, and dreaming up ways to perplex the characters living inside her head.

She’s lucky to have the unswerving support of her family, and most especially her two faithful companions, Pappillon, a twenty pound rescue puppy from Puerto Rico, and Frank, a.k.a. “President of the Black Dog Club,” also a rescue. The two are constantly by her side offering love and encouragement, and occasionally demanding chewies.

LOVER’S LEAP, a contemporary romance, is her first published book. THE TROUBLE WITH TIGERS, a victorian romance will be released soon, too! Both books are published by The Wild Rose Press.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kimberly-Keyes/448603045301169?tab=page_info&view
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorKeyes
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Kimberly-Keyes/e/B0152HF95G
Website: http://www.KimberlyKeyes.net
Blog: http://kimberlykeyesromance.blogspot.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14291041.Kimberly_Keyes

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