Visiting #Brewster on #CapeCod #QuarantineLife #Hiking #Barnstable #MA #nature Cape Cod #Travel

Historic Stony Brook Grist Mill in Brewster, MA

Like many people, I am struggling to stay positive during this time of isolation and find fun things to do to keep my family active and get us out of the house (safely, where there are no crowds) when possible.  The weather here on Cape Cod has not been particularly cooperative, but a few weekends ago we had a beautiful Sunday, and the four of us took a trip to explore some trails in Brewster, a town further out along the bent arm of the Cape.  If you picture the bent arm, the bridges from mainland Massachusetts are near the shoulder, and Provincetown is up at the curved hand.  Brewster is along the bay side of the peninsula, between the "bicep" and the inside of the elbow.

Stunning scenery at Stony Brook Grist Mill site

Since we were not in a hurry, we took the scenic route...6A. (Sidebar...the faster way is via Rt. 6, which is a highway that runs continuously across the U.S. from Bishop, CA to Provincetown, MA.  A bucket list trip!)  Route 6A is also known as the Old King's Highway, which makes me think of Game of Thrones.  It definitely offers amazing history, with buildings, homes, churches, and cemeteries dating back to the 1600s, and Native American sites going back much further.  One of my novels, Haunted Souls, incorporates a ghost mystery that begins in the Old Jail, which is the oldest wooden jailhouse in the entire country, built circa 1690 and found along 6A in Barnstable Village.

View of Cape Cod Bay from Eddy Bay Trail in Brewster
(in the direction of Wellfleet and P-town)

It was a beautiful drive, with farms, old stone walls, blooming trees and flowers, cranberry bogs, and kettle ponds.  When we arrived in Brewster, we headed to a trail known as the Eddy Bay Trail, as the land was once owned by the Eddy family.  The trail loops through the woods with a gradual climb to the highest bluff in Brewster.  From there is a breathtaking view of the Cape Cod Bay.  In the distance, you can see the land mass of Providence, RI on one side and Provincetown, MA on the other.

An old foundation along a river
Eddy Sisters Trail

The Eddy Sisters Trail is across the street, with markers indicating the remains of old buildings and farmland.

From there, we headed over to the Stony Brook Grist Mill, which is the sole remaining structure from the 19th century Factory Village in Brewster.  The museum inside the restored mill was closed, of course, but we enjoyed the trails along the brook and the herring run.  The herring, known as alewives, make their way from the bay, up through Stony Brook with help from a series of ladders, to return to the freshwater ponds where they were born so they can spawn.  It's an incredible and dangerous journey, and a sign of spring here.

The herring run at Stony Brook Grist Mill

It was a wonderful day and an amazing opportunity to explore some areas that we rarely see, since it is often human nature to forget about the treasures we have in our own "backyard".  We've lived here over 20 years, and there is still so much we haven't seen!  Since many of my novels are set on Cape Cod, I do try to spend a lot of time visiting the area I'm considering as a setting, and I often use pieces of Cape history as inspiration for my stories.  If you'd like to virtually visit some of the other towns or landmarks I've blogged about, check out Visiting Truro (setting for my latest release, Ghost Moon), Visiting Falmouth, and Exploring Bourne Farm (inspiration for The Haunting of Hillwood Farm).

If you enjoy Romantic Suspense and Ghost Mysteries, check out some of my titles and take a fictional visit to Cape Cod while getting lost in a page-turning story!  Reading is a proven stress-reliever too :)  Thanks for coming by and stay safe everyone!

Gull Harbor is set in a fictional village in Wellfleet
and is a #1 Amazon and Barnes & Noble Bestseller!
Also available on Audible as an audiobook!

Final Days on #NetGalley! Romantic Suspense #Ghost Mystery #books #amreading

My latest release is available to reviewers for a few more days on NetGalley!  If you're on NetGalley and you enjoy Romantic Suspense, Ghost Mysteries, and Gothic settings, I hope you'll request Ghost Moon!  The blurb is below, along with the link.  And if you're not on NetGalley but you'd like to give it a read, you can find it here on Kindle (free on KU!)


When Lark Cavanaugh’s life in New York City falls apart, she’s left reeling from a staggering betrayal. She escapes to Cape Cod, where a distant relative has left her an old house with a tragic past. Rumors of a haunting presence plague the abandoned home, but Lark doesn’t believe in ghosts…until she has no choice.

After completing his military duty, veterinarian Jesse Holt returns to his small hometown to take over his father’s practice. He soon finds himself drawn to the alluring redhead now living next door, but she has made her intentions clear—she’s moving back to the city as soon as possible. When frightening events threaten her safety, though, he can’t deny his protective instincts.

Unable to fight their feelings, they give in to desire…but another battle looms. Lark’s arrival has awakened a decades-old mystery, and the truth of what happened at Holloway House will only be revealed when it claims yet another life.

GHOST MOON on NetGalley

"Kept me guessing...the twists and turns, the paranormal happenings, and of course, the romance all kept me turning pages"

~ A Soccer Mom's Book Blog

"WOW...spooky, suspenseful, steamy...a captivating novel...highly recommend"

~ Linda's Book Obsession

5 *s! "Perfect blend of the #paranormal, the mysterious, + #romance" #Book Review #amreading #FridayReads

Knight has "created an atmosphere of something
unknown just beyond the shadows..." ~
Tome Tender

I'm so excited to see the first editorial reviews for Ghost Moon coming in!  Tome Tender Book Blog gave this new ghost mystery/romantic suspense 5 stars, and I'm highlighting a few quotes below that gave me a reason to happy dance during these difficult times.  If you need a new read, I hope you'll check out Ghost Moon...then put your feet up and get lost in Lark and Jesse's story!  In addition to providing entertainment, reading is a proven stress-reducer...something we can all probably use these days.  Thanks for coming by and stay safe!

"Kathryn Knight has created the perfect blend of the paranormal, the mysterious, and a slow burn romance that is both heated and sweet..."

"Ghost Moon is an incredible read from start to finish..."

Full review here at Tome Tender Book Blog!

Ghost Moon on #NetGalley! #Books #Romance #Mystery #BookReview #paranormal #ghosts #amreading

My latest release is now available to reviewers on NetGalley!  If you're on NetGalley and you enjoy Romantic Suspense, Ghost Mysteries, and Gothic settings, I hope you'll request Ghost Moon!  The blurb is below, along with the link.  And if you're not on NetGalley but you'd like to give it a read, you can find it here on Kindle (free if you're a member of KU!)

When Lark Cavanaugh’s life in New York City falls apart, she’s left reeling from a staggering betrayal. She escapes to Cape Cod, where a distant relative has left her an old house with a tragic past. Rumors of a haunting presence plague the abandoned home, but Lark doesn’t believe in ghosts…until she has no choice.

After completing his military duty, veterinarian Jesse Holt returns to his small hometown to take over his father’s practice. He soon finds himself drawn to the alluring redhead now living next door, but she has made her intentions clear—she’s moving back to the city as soon as possible. When frightening events threaten her safety, though, he can’t deny his protective instincts.

Unable to fight their feelings, they give in to desire…but another battle looms. Lark’s arrival has awakened a decades-old mystery, and the truth of what happened at Holloway House will only be revealed when it claims yet another life.

GHOST MOON on NetGalley

"Kept me guessing...the twists and turns, the paranormal happenings, and of course, the romance all kept me turning pages"

~ A Soccer Mom's Book Blog

"WOW...spooky, suspenseful, steamy...a captivating novel...highly recommend"

~ Linda's Book Obsession

Choosing a #Book Title...or 7! #amwriting #writerslife #writingcommunity #amreading #FridayReads

I've been a reader my whole life, and long before I could search GoodReads or other online book recommendation sites for stories I might like (or even before those mail order clubs became a thing--I belonged to one of those for years), I spent tranquil hours walking through the stacks in libraries.  Often I would just start at the beginning--authors with the last name "A"--and go from there, taking time to linger over my favorite writers to see if there were new releases.  And then there were the titles along the spine that grabbed my attention.  Being a fan of all things spooky--especially Gothic romance (see Phyllis A. Whitney) and haunting mysteries--my heart beat a little faster when I caught sight of a book entitled Ghost Moon in the "R" section...a 2001 release by Karen Robards.  The cover was atmospheric, the blurb on the inside flap was intriguing, and the setting was one of my favorites...the bayous of Louisiana.  From what I remember, there really wasn't a ghost, or any other paranormal aspect, but there was romance, an old mystery, danger, and dark secrets...some of my favorite things in fiction.  I know I enjoyed the story, and I also remember clearly thinking that I loved the title, and my dream of someday writing a novel drifted through my mind again.  

A few years later, inspiration struck, and I had an idea!  Another year later, the complete story arc of my own Romantic Suspense/Ghost Mystery constantly played out in my imagination, and when I explained the plot to my husband, he encouraged me to start writing it.  And...I did. 

I had the premise for the novel,
the characters, the story arc, and an image
of the perfect cover...but no title

Oh, how I wanted to call it Ghost Moon.  I pictured a cover in my mind...an expanse of lake with a full moon hanging in the dark sky above.  But being completely new to the business, I thought a book title had to be unique.  I had no idea that different books often share identical titles, and that (most) book titles are not subject to copyright.

So as I was writing this reunion romance, about a group of estranged friends who reunite at a lake house in a last-ditch attempt to solve the mystery of their missing friend's disappearance, I decided on a different title:  The Lake House.  Then a hit movie with the same name came out in 2006.  (For some reason, I was sure this movie was also a Nicholas Sparks book...but in writing this post, I discovered it's not).  Anyway, that title became unavailable in my mind, and I was disappointed.  Back to the drawing board.

But I finally hit on a title I liked when I named the fictional lake where the house that played such a big part in the group's past was located...Silver Lake.  And that became the working title.  At the time, I couldn't find another book with that title on Amazon (that has changed in the 8 years since publication).

I was thrilled when the manuscript was contracted in 2011 by a publisher, and even more excited when my pub decided to kept the original title.  The eventual cover also captured the key elements I was looking for, thanks to my publisher's policy of allowing the author some input when the time for cover art arrives.  Silver Lake will always have a special place in my heart, and I do love the title.

Silver Lake went on to get acquired by a larger publisher
and became a #1 Amazon Bestseller!

I know this post is getting long--side effect of isolation--but I'll nutshell by saying that although I learned that titles are not copyrighted, I factored in an attempt to find something original in my next few books (along with a two-word theme I've stuck with aside from The Haunting of Hillwood Farm).  But as more and more books hit the market, nearly every title with just a few words gets used more than once.  

My first five books all had two-word titles:
Silver Lake ~ Gull Harbor ~ Divine Fall ~ Haunted Souls
(and Dangerous Currents, which came after this banner)

So, when I was trying to come up with a title for my seventh (!!!!) book, I returned to that love of Ghost Moon.  I checked Amazon, and there are several books now using that title.  Not so many that finding my book would be difficult for anyone looking, but enough (including some very well known authors) that made me decide it was okay for me to use it as well.  Also, it echoes that two-word theme I've had going for most of my books.

As you can see below, I went with my heart's desire.  I'm thrilled I have my own Ghost Moon now, and I wish I could tell my younger self that she'd realize that dream of writing a novel someday....seven times over.  And that eventually, she'd have a book titled Ghost Moon with her name on the cover.

And what a cover!  This might be my favorite one yet!

If you enjoy steamy romance and spooky suspense, I hope you'll give my books a try!  Thanks for coming by, stay safe, and happy reading.

#FREE Audio #Books for Review! #audiobooks #Audible #romance #suspense #paranormal

Click here or below to visit the landing page!

Love audiobooks?  How about FREE audiobooks?  Then this event is for you…a selection of 30 audiobooks in the genres of romance, suspense, and paranormal --- FREE for listeners willing to review!  Audiobooks are the perfect complement for walking, gardening, spring cleaning, or just putting your feet up and getting lost in a suspenseful or heartwarming story during these difficult times!

My titles The Haunting of Hillwood Farm and Haunted Souls are featured in this audiobook fair, which is now live through 4/30!  Request the titles you’d like to review on Story Origin (free account needed) by following the link below!  Happy listening and stay safe!

LISTEN TO REVIEW AUDIO EVENT

A dangerous ghost brings them together...but will they survive long
enough to find happiness?
Award-winning spooky romantic suspense...heat level 3

A damaged soldier, a secret baby, and a haunting mystery collide...
A Top 3 Read of 2016...heat level 4.5

GHOST MOON Release Day! #FridayReads #Romance #Paranormal #Suspense #Mystery #Books #amreading

Happy Book Birthday to my 7th novel, GHOST MOON!  


If you pre-ordered your Kindle copy already, you should have it on your device now...or you can download from Amazon today!  Originally, the release date for this book was 4/15.  But more than ever, we need things we can enjoy from home that will entertain us and provide relaxation.  I love reading--it's my favorite hobby even when the world isn't mostly shut down.  Getting lost in a great book does wonders for my mind and lowers my stress.  Since this manuscript was in the final stages of galley proofing a few weeks ago, I decided to try to move the release date for the e-book forward to make it available sooner.  The title is now live in time for #Fridayreads...a whole 12 days earlier than anticipated!  

I had to move quickly to catch up on my book launch checklist, but the first editorial review is already in from Linda's Book Obsession, and it begins with:  "WOW.  Kathryn Knight has written a spooky, scary, suspenseful, mysterious, steamy, and intense novel." 

"A captivating story with betrayals and danger..."

"I highly recommend this intense and edgy novel."

If you like steamy romance and ghost mysteries, I hope you'll give Ghost Moon a read.  The blurb and buy link are below...more info on print editions in the future.  Happy Reading everyone, and stay safe.

GHOST MOON ON KINDLE

When Lark Cavanaugh’s life in New York City falls apart, she’s left reeling from a staggering betrayal. She escapes to Cape Cod, where a distant relative has left her an old house with a tragic past. Rumors of a haunting presence plague the abandoned home, but Lark doesn’t believe in ghosts…until she has no choice.

After completing his military duty, veterinarian Jesse Holt returns to his small hometown to take over his father’s practice. He soon finds himself drawn to the alluring redhead now living next door, but she has made her intentions clear—she’s moving back to the city as soon as possible. When frightening events threaten her safety, though, he can’t deny his protective instincts.

Unable to fight their feelings, they give in to desire…but another battle looms. Lark’s arrival has awakened a decades-old mystery, and the truth of what happened at Holloway House will only be revealed when it claims yet another life.