Sunday, November 24, 2013

99¢ #BlackFriday sale: a steamy romance read for your travels!

Short and sweet post, because the holidays are upon us!  GULL HARBOR is on sale for one last week, until Friday (yes, THE Black Friday).  Whether you're traveling, waiting in lines, or trying to escape from your family for a few moments, a fast-paced, suspenseful ghost story spiked with steamy romance will make the most of your time.  99 cents on Kindle and Nook only - links below, along with the blurb.  Happy Thanksgiving!

A #1 Kindle Bestseller, less than a buck!

Kindle link

Nook link 

Want to see the story board?  Check out the pictures I used for inspiration on Pinterest!

When Claire Linden’s job sends her to the sleepy town of Gull Harbor, she never expects to encounter her ex-boyfriend. As a medium, the prospect of tackling a haunted house is less daunting than seeing Max Baron again. Throughout their passionate college relationship, he promised to love her forever. Then, without explanation, he abandoned her on graduation day.
Max never intended to break Claire's heart—a cruel ultimatum forced him to disappear from her life. While he's shocked to find her in Gull Harbor, he isn't surprised by the bitter resentment she feels for him...or the fiery attraction that remains between them.
 
Claire is determined to rid her temporary home of its aggressive ghost, but Max soon realizes she's facing a danger beyond the paranormal. When Claire risks everything to help a desperate spirit, Max must race to save her—before another tragedy tears them apart forever.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

99c Paranormal #Romance Bestseller! #Kindledeals

What an exciting weekend!  GULL HARBOR was put on a 99 cent sale for the first time ever, and it shot onto 3 Amazon Bestseller lists, hitting #1 in Paranormal Romance > Ghosts and Paranormal Romance > Psychics.  It's sitting on Page 1 of the "Ghost" category along with amazing paranormal romance novels like THE HOST and TWILIGHT, although how either of those books landed in the "Ghost" category is beyond me, considering the paranormal elements are aliens and vampires, respectively.  Regardless, it's a thrill to be in such Bestseller company.

Woo hoo!  Three
Amazon Bestseller Lists!


GULL HARBOR really does contain a ghost--a very angry spirit whose frightening and destructive behavior drives the new owners of an isolated Cape Cod house to hire a psychic medium.  Claire Linden arrives in the sleepy beachside town of Gull Harbor ready to tackle a haunted house and prove herself worthy of her gifts.  However, she never expects to encounter Max Baron, the man who promised to love her forever back in college, then disappeared from her life without a hint of an explanation.  As Claire begins to unravel the mystery behind the haunting, Max is forced to share his secret to try to stay close enough to Claire to help protect her from a danger that extends beyond the paranormal.

Click the title to check out the back cover blurb...and grab your copy of GULL HARBOR while it's less than a buck!

Kindle link

Nook link  

Want to see the story board?  Check out the pictures I used for inspiration on Pinterest!
 

Monday, November 11, 2013

Historical Romance in #Reign - Kathryn Knight

After Paranormal Romance, Historical Romance is my favorite genre--to read and to watch (I've yet to try writing it--hopefully someday!).  So for me, Thursday night television has become even better this fall, with an old favorite The Vampire Diaries followed by the new show Reign on the CW. 

I love to find out some of the actual background of these characters based on historical figures, so I did a little research.  I'll share only the facts I learned that don't possibly spoil the plot of the show!  I've also included a few fun facts about the three main characters: Mary, Francis, and Sebastian (Bash), as well as the actors who portray them.


Francis, Mary, and Bash on the new hit show Reign on CW


Mary Stuart was born December 8, 1542, at Linlithgow Palace in Scotland to James V, King of Scots, and Mary of Guise, his French second wife.  She was the only legitimate child of James to survive him.  Six days after her birth, James died, and Mary acceded to the throne as the Queen of Scots.  As Mary was an infant, Scotland was ruled by regents until she became an adult. 

King Henry VIII of England attempted to take advantage of this situation by arranging a marriage between Mary and his son Edward when Mary was six months old.  The marriage treaty was later rejected, and the French King, Henry II, proposed to unite Scotland and France with a marriage between Mary and the Dauphin Francis. 

With this marriage contract in place, five-year-old Mary spent the next 13 years at French Court.  She was beautiful and charming, and became a favorite of many at court, with the exception of Catherine de' Medici, King Henry's wife.

A Portrait of Francis and Mary


Reign is set in the French Court in 1557.  In the show, 15-year-old Mary of Scots is played by Adelaide Kane, who is a 23-year-old actress originally from Australia.

Toby Regbo plays the Dauphin (Heir Apparent) of France, Francis II.  In 1557, Francis would have been 13 years old.  Toby is a 22-year-old actor born in London, England.    History states that the actual Francis II was abnormally short and suffered from a stutter--the show's Francis, portrayed by Toby, is a very different character.  Fun facts about actor Toby Regbo:  the surname Regbo was made up by an ancestor to replace the more common last name Hanson; Toby is related to all of the twenty or so Regbos in the world.  Toby also starred as a young Albus Dumbledore in one of the Harry Potter films.

Torrance Coombs, age 30, plays the other heartthrob on the show--the illegitimate son of King Henry, Sebastian (or "Bash").  As far as I can tell, Bash is a purely fictional character, although the relationship between Henry and his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, who is Bash's mother in the show, was very real.  It is believed that Diane became Henry's mistress when she was 35 and he was 16, and despite Henry's marriage, Diane would remain his lifelong companion and as such, the most powerful woman in France.

In the show, there is also a ghostly woman named Clarissa who haunts the passageways (I can't wait to find out more about her--as you can tell from my books, I do love ghosts!) and helps Mary.  Nostradamus also has a prominent role, and this French apothecary and seer was in fact greatly admired by Catherine.  She read his almanacs in 1555, and summoned him to Paris to explain what sounded like dire predictions for the royal family.  She had him draw up horoscopes for her children and appointed him to prominent positions.

So...any other facts about life at French court might give away the future plot of Reign, and I can't wait to see where they go with the story.  I already love the characters.  I have a strong "love triangle" feeling for the future--so here's your chance for predictions!  Who would you chose for Mary?  Who will she end up with?  Chime in! 


Wednesday, November 6, 2013

#FREE print books - Kathryn Knight

Last year, I received a shipment of my debut novel, SILVER LAKE, to bring to book signings and presentations.  About 10 print copies had damaged covers: white spots, scratches, etc.  My publisher immediately replaced the damaged books at no charge, and I put the scratched ones away.

I wouldn't try to sell them, since they are imperfect.  As an author, I simply can't throw them away.  But they're not doing much good sitting in a box, either.

So, I'm having a "Damaged Cover Liquidation"!  I will send out these print copies to the first 10 people to request them, and I'll even cover the shipping!  (Book rate shipping - it's a little slower, but it's also cheaper).  The only thing I ask in return: an honest review left at a minimum of two sites (Amazon, Goodreads, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, etc.).  A Facebook "Like" on my page would be nice too, but not necessary :)


Little scratches, white marks, etc...but inside is just fine - SILVER LAKE was a Finalist in Paranormal Romance at RomCon 2013!


 

So, how to get your free book?  Just leave a comment below WITH (1) an email address (so I can touch base to get a shipping address), and (2) a mention of the two sites where you'll leave a review.  No addresses need to be left on a public blog - just an email is fine and I'll contact you from there.  Check out the blurb HERE, and thanks for stopping by!

 

Friday, November 1, 2013

Halloween winners of sugar-free treats! Kathryn Knight

I had a busy month - October is a great time for ghost stories!  I gave a presentation on my books at a local library, ran an Amazon gift card giveaway, contributed prizes to the All Romance Halloween Party, and participated in the Snarkology Paranormal Blog Hop.  I drew some winners today - drumroll -

Winner of the $20 Amazon gift card - Sherry!  We'd love to hear what you end up "treating" yourself to!  Enjoy!

Winner of an e-copy of GULL HARBOR - Meghan!  I hope you enjoy the read, and reviews are always appreciated if you have time!

Winner of the $60 Amazon gift card Blog Hop Raffle - Silvia!  Congratulations!  Have fun shopping.

A big thank you to everyone who participated in all the events...I sincerely appreciate all the comments, likes, follows, etc.  Happy November :)

"Breakfast with the Authors" October Event