Love #Paranormal #Romance? Visit the Occult Day #Book Fair for #Free + #99c Reads! #occultday

Did you know November 18th is "Occult Day"?  The word "occult" tends to have scary or evil connotations, but it actually means "hidden" or "secret"...and Occult Day is intended for the celebration and recognition of the mystical, mysterious, and magical elements in our world.  As an author of ghost mysteries and paranormal romance, I can get behind this idea...and The Haunting of Hillwood Farm is a featured book in the Art of the Arcane's Occult Romance Bargain Sale...on sale for 99c!  In fact, all the titles in the fair are free or 99c until 11/22, so hurry and fill your e-reader with some atmospheric, romantic reads spiked with spooky suspense!

Visit the OCCULT DAY ROMANCE BARGAIN SALE HERE!

A dangerous ghost brings them together...but will they survive long enough
to find happiness?  On sale from $3.99 to just 99c right now!

Bathroom Makeover ~ From 90s Mauve to #FarmHouse Coastal! #FixerUpper Style Cape Cod #Remodel

So thrilled with how it all came together!  Wall color is Hale Navy.

After months of delays, the glass for our master bathroom shower was just installed, which means the entire remodel is officially DONE!  I couldn't wait to post the pics of the bedroom, so they're already up, but now I can share the bathroom pics as well.

One of the things I asked to have to
remind me of my grandparents...for
reason I always like this painting, and
if the medium was right, so did my
Grandma Renie.

I can't find any before pics, which is a relief...it was just as bad as the master bedroom in both decor and design.  For one thing, I still had the ratty (but frequently washed) shower curtain from our first house...I couldn't seem to part with it because it matched this watercolor painting I'd brought from my grandparent's house after my grandmother passed away.  And I was so attached to the painting...not just because I liked it enough to ask my uncle, when they were cleaning out the house, if I could have it.  But also because it reminded me of my grandparents, and even more compelling, because one time when I was at a psychic medium show (researching my main character's abilities for Gull Harbor), a medium picked me out of the crowd and told me my grandmother "was happy I had the painting."  My mind was blown...I'd never seen this medium, I hadn't signed up for anything, it was cash at the door and an auditorium full of people.  And I don't think it was a lucky guess, as she also talked about the charm bracelet of my grandmother's that I held on to as well.  

So, the shower curtain and painting matched, although they were both a somewhat dated combination of mauve and green.  Our vanity was small, one sink, and my husband had long since relinquished all the counter space to me and moved his things into the hall bathroom, sharing space with our teen boys.  As the only female in the house, this struck me as fair.  But our bathroom sink didn't work very well, and the shower itself was a nightmare that I can't bear to elaborate on.

As I mentioned when posting about the bedroom, decorating doesn't come easily to me, but researching things does.  Again, I relied a lot on Pinterest!  Here's a link to the specific board for the bathroom.  Pics below...thanks for coming by and let me know what you think in the comments section!

I'm proud of the tobacco basket/wreath design...I found the
metal tobacco basket at a vintage re-sale shop, and the
wreath came from Luckett's in Virginia.

Bottles collected from flea markets and antique shops.
Terrarium and faux plant from Marshall's.

To view the bedroom pics, click here.

And I should not forget the closet space...the before closet and after is below!

A photo from demo-day. 
That narrow space under the eves was the closet...sloped ceilings and
a hidden window, with folding doors that took up space.

New closet area in a different part of the room!
So much more storage, better use of space, and a little
bench and window <3  Color is Lakeshore Green.

A #99c Sale! Ghosts + #Romance ~ #1 #Kindle Bestseller #sale #books #amreading #FridayReads

Starting today, my second novel GULL HARBOR will be on sale for a short time!  This combination of steamy romance and spooky suspense has topped the charts on Amazon as a #1 Bestseller on several occasions, so grab your copy while it's less than a buck!  The offer is available for both Kindle and Nook formats, and this limited-time promotion is even running in the very discerning BookBub newsletter!  I've included the links below along with the book's description and an excerpt.  Treat yourself to some time on the sandy shores of Cape Cod, where both a dangerous ghost and an ex-boyfriend await psychic medium Claire Linden...

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.

KINDLE LINK

NOOK LINK

An excerpt for you too!  This scene takes place after Max has brought Claire to watch the 4th of July fireworks:

Lights from her house welcomed them as they crossed through the wooded back yard.  “I guess I’m asking you to trust me, even though I know you’ve got no good reason to.”

He assumed he wouldn’t be getting a response by the time he followed her up the porch steps.  But she turned toward him outside the front door, looking somehow both fragile and strong in the velvet shadows.

“I do trust you.  I have no idea why, but I do.”

“Then I would call this a successful second date.”  He ran his fingers through her hair, cradling the sides of her face with his palms.  Tipping her lips up to his, he kissed her possessively.  The hunger inside him flared brighter, and he closed the distance between their bodies.

Backing her toward the house, he pressed her up against the door.  She returned his kisses with equal passion, moaning when he pushed his thigh between her legs.  Her fingers wandered to the front of his jeans, then hesitated, her nails grazing the skin of his abdomen.

He tore his mouth from hers reluctantly.  If he didn’t stop her now, there would be no turning back.  Bracing his hands against the door, he struggled against his body’s demands.  They would make love when Claire was ready, not before. 

“I should go,” he said, his voice rough.  Their breath mingled in short, quick gasps.  He lifted his head and locked his gaze with hers.

She could see desire in the depths of his dark blue eyes, but there was something else there, too.  Pain.  Her remaining doubts shattered and fell away.  Whatever this awful secret was, they would handle it—together.

“Stay.”

He held her captive, caged between his arms.  “You know what will happen if I stay.”

She nodded, her hair sliding against the door.  Unhooking her fingers from the waist of his jeans, she dipped her fingers into her own pocket to retrieve her key.  Silently she turned, unlocking the door.

Her legs trembled as she led him up the stairs.  Moonlight spilled through the windows, bathing her bedroom in a silvery glow.  He caught her wrist in the doorway, pulling her around to face him.

“Claire…before we go any further, you need to know something.  There’s a chance I may never be able to fully explain what happened five years ago.”

She studied his expression in the pale light of the moon.  He held her gaze, his hair falling across his forehead as he bent his head toward hers.  She brushed the strands out of his eyes, then trailed her fingers across the rough stubble under his cheekbones.

“But you’ll tell me if you can?”

“I promise.  But think about how you’ll feel if I can’t,” he said, releasing her wrist.

“Confused, I’m sure,” she murmured.  She gathered the fabric of his shirt collar and pulled it slowly over his head.  “But I don’t think it’s going to make me want you any less,” she added, dropping the shirt to the floor.

Visit the GULL HARBOR Pinterest Board too for a look at the settings and character inspiration.  Happy Reading!

^ Nom de Plume Book Reviews gave Gull Harbor SIX stars!
Things that make an author smile :)

"#Paranormal #Romance Perfection" 5* #Book #Review! "Deliciously Haunting"

The tweet's caption read "yes, 6 stars" ~ woot!

A review of my reunion romance + ghost mystery Gull Harbor is up at Nom de Plume Reviews, and it's going down as one of my favorite reviews of all time!  The first I saw of it was on Twitter, and the tweet caption called it a "6 Star" read...my heart soared as I scrambled to click the link.

I do a happy dance any time I hear someone enjoyed one of my stories, because that's why I write.  Not for myself, but to hopefully give a reader the hours of pleasure and entertainment that I feel when I find a book that really grabs my attention and never lets go. My goal is always to put readers into the story and connect them with the characters so deeply they feel the emotions: the pull of chemistry, the roller coaster of falling in love, the fear of danger, the pain of betrayal, the adrenaline of suspense, the heat of a kiss.

This review really made me feel that I'd succeeded in that: 

"This electric current in my body is unbearable!  Kathryn Knight has this way of manifesting spider-chills up my arms!  I can't help but let these emotions engulf me."

"Gull Harbor is deliciously haunting.  My favorite passages keep reverberating through my mind reminding me of the journey 

Max and I are on Claire are on."

"Here I am living vicariously through Claire; I was bitter toward Max and now I am vulnerable."

Check out the review in its entirety here: Nom de Plume Book Reviews - Gull Harbor, and if you enjoy steamy romance mixed with some spooky suspense, give Gull Harbor a try!  And if you'd like to see more of Claire and Max, download Haunted Souls as well...these characters make an appearance in Haunted Souls, and the hero and heroine of this story, Brett and Emily, have an equally intense journey to their Happily Ever After.  Happy Reading!

A dangerous ghost and an ex-boyfriend await Claire in GULL HARBOR...
~ A #1 Kindle Bestseller ~

GULL HARBOR #Review! #Ghosts, #Suspense, + #Romance

Kam's Place has a new review of Gull Harbor up, with an excerpt to enjoy as well!  It's always a great feeling to read that your novel provided enjoyment (and a few chills!) ~ that's why I write, to hopefully give readers a story that sucks you in and doesn't let go.  If you like steamy romance mixed with spooky suspense, give it a try!  

Some of my favorite quotes from this review: 

"Kathryn really did have me wondering what if..."

"I could feel Claire's determination, frustration, and her unwillingness to give up."

"Readers will enjoy this ghostly tale which has love, suspense, and multiple HEAs" (Happy Ever Afters)

Read the full review here, and you can download the sample (or buy the book for less than a fancy coffee drink!) on Amazon here.  Happy Reading!

A little teaser from one of my favorite scenes!

#Psychic Fair in #Mashpee Cape Cod #CapeCod

I'll be signing books again this year at the annual Psychic and Health Fair sponsored by the Mashpee Boosters!  This is a great opportunity to connect with those who have passed on or explore your future for a discounted fee.  Private readings are offered with a variety of mediums, tarot readers, and psychics, plus local vendors will have tables set up for shopping - that's where you can find me and my paranormal romantic suspense novels!  Many of my books incorporate a ghost mystery or haunting, and are set on Cape Cod, so this event is a great fit for me.  In fact, the main character in Gull Harbor is a psychic herself...and when her job brings her to a sleepy little town on Cape Cod, she not only encounters a dangerous ghost, but also the man who promised to love her forever, then disappeared without a hint of an explanation five years prior.

Check out Gull Harbor ~ a #1 Amazon Bestseller!
A dangerous ghost and an ex-boyfriend await Claire
in Cape Cod's Gull Harbor...
Steamy Romance + Spooky Suspense = a page-turning read!

The 10th annual Psychic and Health Fair will be held on Saturday, March 4th from 10am to 4pm at KC Coombs Elementary, at 152 Old Barnstable Road (near the Commons) in Mashpee.  Come connect with the past and/or explore the future, shop locally, find a new read, and help our post-prom committee raise funds to keep kids safe on prom night.  Admission is $2.00, private readings are extra and you make an appointment(s) with the reader or psychic of your choice. Many people arrive early to book their appointments in order to get the slots they want, so arrive early if you have a specific reader you'd like to sit with!  Please find the list below - hope to see you there if you're in the Cape Cod area!

Featuring mediums, tarot readers, psychics and an assortment of vendors. (see list below)

Proceeds benefit Mashpee Boosters’ Post Prom Committee providing a safe, alcohol-free environment for students.

Readers at this year's event:

Patricia Mellman Medium, Astrologer, Tarot
Nancy Foley Astrology, Tarot
Tom Foley Tarot
Myrna Westgate Medium, Tarot
Doreen Tripp Angel Card Readings & messages
Sharon Ferraro Medium
Dotty Repoza Medium
Laurie Leehan Medium & Tarot
Judy Ramos Medium & Cards
Marlene Panish Medium
Mary Lee Medium
Joan Downes Tarot & Medium
Maureen Brown Medium

Outside-the-Box Promo #amwriting #writingtips

In what feels like another life, I was a Marketing major earning my Master's degree in Business.  I haven't worked in the corporate world in a long time, but my marketing background has been useful in terms of promoting my books.  Most authors don't really like self-promo...it's awkward and difficult.  I think we all wish our books would just go viral and promote themselves...but that only happens for a select few.  The rest of us have to work to make our books visible in a flooded market, even when we have publishers helping us with the process.  And visibility is key, because how could a reader who might enjoy a certain book even find it if they've never heard of it?

No one wants to see a flurry of posts on social media that just say "Buy My Book".  I always try to think outside the box to come up with better ways to connect with readers.  Here are a few of the marketing efforts and ideas I've been involved in or working on the last few months.

-Setting up a table at a Psychic Fair.  Obviously this is not a good fit for every genre, but I write ghost stories mixed with romance, and in one of my books, GULL HARBOR, the heroine actually *is* a psychic medium.  So this event dovetails nicely with the subject of my novels.  A psychic fair generally raises funds for a cause by allowing visitors to make 20 minute appointments with various psychic and readers for a less expensive cost.  So there is traffic all day, and the people coming are interested in the subjects in my novels.  As people wait for their appointments, they shop at the vendor tables, and not only did I sign and sell paperbacks, I handed out dozens of postcards with e-book information.  Throughout the day, I chatted with several new acquaintances and networked with the other vendors there.

These are easy to make at MyCustomCase!

-A new custom phone case.  Most people carry their phones everywhere these days.  My phone case is a fun collage of my four book covers, and it starts a lot of conversations.  If someone asks what the pictures are, I can tell them a little about what I write, and often people are excited to get more information about my novels.

-Teaming up with other authors for group promo.  Last summer, the editor-in-chief of my publishing house spoke at the Cape Cod Writer's Conference, and a casual lunch was scheduled during her visit for authors who write for The Wild Rose Press to get together in person.  Some authors traveled from quite far away, but three of us lived within a half hour of a central location and write in many of the same genres. Between the three of us, we have 14 books in the various genres of romance, suspense, romantic thrillers, paranormal romance, young adult, and women's fiction.  So recently we've been working on setting up events together, since several authors together often draw a bigger audience than one alone.  One event we're going to do is scheduled for the Halloween season, where we'll speak on the spooky elements of our paranormal books.

An author panel on publishing at a local
library a few years ago...a great event attended
by both writers and readers!  Hoping to set more up.

These are a few ideas to help think outside the box when it comes to marketing efforts!  More to come in a future post, and please chime in if you have your own tips.

Book Signing at the #Psychic Fair #CapeCod #amwriting #ghosts + #romance

I wish HAUNTED
SOULS was available,
but I'll have postcards
with release date info!

Our town's annual Psychic and Health Fair is returning this weekend, and I've been asked to set up a table and sign books at the event. Checking my blog, which sometimes proves more reliable than my memory, I see that when I did this event in 2013, it went really well.  At that time, I only had SILVER LAKE available; now, I have a book that actually features a psychic medium as a heroine (GULL HARBOR) as well as a Young Adult Paranormal Romance appropriate for teens (DIVINE FALL).

The proceeds for this event benefit our High School's "Post-Prom", which is an all-night event after prom designed to give kids a safe, alcohol-free place to continue the fun.  With my oldest son going to prom this year, I'm especially interested in making this fundraiser a success!

I'll be signing books all day, but visitors to the fair have the opportunity to make an appointment with one of the psychics for a small fee.  I wish I could make an appointment as well...I had an incredible encounter with a psychic at a Christmas party that convinced me I was hearing from my mother.

If you're in the Cape Cod area and would like to come by, the info is below and can also be found on the event FaceBook page.

Saturday, March 19th 10-4
KC Coombs Elementary School
152 Old Barnstable Road

Encounter with a Medium #ghosts #haunting #amwriting #ABA

I’m the guest this week on Authors Baring All, a popular feature hosted by another author with my publisher to delve into the more personal aspects of the writing life.  This time I’m talking about my encounter with a psychic medium, and how that not only influenced my book GULL HARBOR but made a huge impact on my own life.  And I ask the question: Have you ever seen a ghost?  Click the link below to read and chime in:

Authors Baring All: Do You Believe in Ghosts?

And if you’d like to view my very first spot on the ABA blog, you can check out that story here.  Don’t forgot to comment with your experiences!

A dangerous ghost and an ex-boyfriend await psychic medium Claire
Linden in Cape Cod's GULL HARBOR...a #1 Kindle Bestseller

Spend 4th of July in Cape Cod's GULL HARBOR! - #Romance #Ghosts #Suspense #Kindle

A dangerous ghost and an ex-boyfriend await
Claire Linden in GULL HARBOR...

Happy 4th of July weekend!  Here on Cape Cod, the summer season officially kicks off this weekend, and things get a bit hectic!  As usual, we have a house full of guests, and plans for the beach, cookouts, and fireworks.  And while on the beach, I'll be doing my favorite thing - reading!  If you need a great page-turning beach read for the holiday, try GULL HARBOR - a spooky ghost mystery mixed with steamy second-chance romance, set here on Cape Cod's National Seashore.

To get into the "spirit" of the weekend (haha, see what I did there?), I'm posting a never-before-posted excerpt from the book - part of a scene where Max and Claire stop fighting their attraction and enjoy a picnic on the beach.  Max still can't share his reasons for abandoning her so long ago, but pyschic medium Claire is dealing with a very disturbing haunting, and she finds herself leaning on her former boyfriend for support.  And Max still feels the need to take care of her, even after all these years - so he's brought lunch for her from the local tavern he owns.  This scene sets up their date for the 4th of July - and there are plenty of fireworks on that night - overhead and between the two former lovers!  Enjoy and Happy 4th :)

           “A picnic on the beach is perfect.  It’s better than dinner and a movie.”

            He held out his glass, touching it to hers.  “To our first date.”  His eyebrows pulled together behind his sunglasses.  “That sounds strange, given our history.”

            She smiled as she sipped.  “We were never what you’d call traditional, anyway.”

            “How’s this for traditional—let me take you to see the fireworks on Wednesday night.  I know you’ll be at Dan’s cook-out for dinner, but I think I’ll be okay to leave the tavern by 7:30 or so.  Can I come and steal you away?”  He leaned back on one elbow and flashed her a lazy grin.  “There’s a great spot to watch them from over by the lake.  It’s very secluded; none of the tourists even know how to find the trail to get there.”

            A flood of heat that had little to do with the warm July sun surged through her.  How was it that this man aroused her so?  She could feel the sexual tension between them, thick and heady.  “I’d love that,” she said softly, dipping her head down to hide her flushed cheeks.  

Want to keep reading?  All the links for Kindle, Nook, and iPad are on this page, below the blurb!  GULL HARBOR BUY LINKS

#99c Sale! Second Chance #Romance + Haunting #Suspense #99cents #Kindledeals

Starting today, my second novel GULL HARBOR will be on sale for two weeks only!  This combination of steamy romance and spooky suspense has topped the charts on Amazon as a #1 Bestseller on several occasions, so grab your copy while it's less than a buck!  The offer is available for both Kindle and Nook formats, and I've included the links below along with the book's description and an excerpt.  Treat yourself to some time on the sandy shores of Cape Cod, where both a dangerous ghost and an ex-boyfriend await psychic medium Claire Linden...

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.

KINDLE LINK

NOOK LINK

An excerpt for you too!  This scene takes place after Max has brought Claire to watch the 4th of July fireworks:

Lights from her house welcomed them as they crossed through the wooded back yard.  “I guess I’m asking you to trust me, even though I know you’ve got no good reason to.”

He assumed he wouldn’t be getting a response by the time he followed her up the porch steps.  But she turned toward him outside the front door, looking somehow both fragile and strong in the velvet shadows.

“I do trust you.  I have no idea why, but I do.”

“Then I would call this a successful second date.”  He ran his fingers through her hair, cradling the sides of her face with his palms.  Tipping her lips up to his, he kissed her possessively.  The hunger inside him flared brighter, and he closed the distance between their bodies.

Backing her toward the house, he pressed her up against the door.  She returned his kisses with equal passion, moaning when he pushed his thigh between her legs.  Her fingers wandered to the front of his jeans, then hesitated, her nails grazing the skin of his abdomen.

He tore his mouth from hers reluctantly.  If he didn’t stop her now, there would be no turning back.  Bracing his hands against the door, he struggled against his body’s demands.  They would make love when Claire was ready, not before. 

“I should go,” he said, his voice rough.  Their breath mingled in short, quick gasps.  He lifted his head and locked his gaze with hers.

She could see desire in the depths of his dark blue eyes, but there was something else there, too.  Pain.  Her remaining doubts shattered and fell away.  Whatever this awful secret was, they would handle it—together.

“Stay.”

He held her captive, caged between his arms.  “You know what will happen if I stay.”

She nodded, her hair sliding against the door.  Unhooking her fingers from the waist of his jeans, she dipped her fingers into her own pocket to retrieve her key.  Silently she turned, unlocking the door.

Her legs trembled as she led him up the stairs.  Moonlight spilled through the windows, bathing her bedroom in a silvery glow.  He caught her wrist in the doorway, pulling her around to face him.

“Claire…before we go any further, you need to know something.  There’s a chance I may never be able to fully explain what happened five years ago.”

She studied his expression in the pale light of the moon.  He held her gaze, his hair falling across his forehead as he bent his head toward hers.  She brushed the strands out of his eyes, then trailed her fingers across the rough stubble under his cheekbones.

“But you’ll tell me if you can?”

“I promise.  But think about how you’ll feel if I can’t,” he said, releasing her wrist.

“Confused, I’m sure,” she murmured.  She gathered the fabric of his shirt collar and pulled it slowly over his head.  “But I don’t think it’s going to make me want you any less,” she added, dropping the shirt to the floor.

Visit the GULL HARBOR Pinterest Board too for a look at the settings and character inspiration.  Happy Reading!

Happy Holidays for Shelter #Pets - #ShelterPetLove

I love animals.  And I come from a long line of animal lovers, on both sides of my family.  Growing up, we had at least 2 cats and a dog in the house at all times; we also owned a horse that lived at my mom's best friend's barn (that's the setting I used as inspiration for the stable where Jamie keeps her horse in my Young Adult novel DIVINE FALL).  I have many fond memories of playing with the barn cats and "camping out" with the other kids on the patio, under the stars, while all the dogs that lived on the farm tried to squeeze into our sleeping bags.

My mom, waking up with 350,
plus two cats.  I love this pic.

We often took in rescues from shelters.  When my parents married, our first family dog was a St. Bernard named 350.  Why?  Because that was his cage number at the shelter, and that was how much his adoption fee was - $3.50.  Of course, this was 1969.

Sadly, my mom is gone...but I've continued the tradition of making animals a big part of our lives.  Right now at home we have a rescue cat (he's 16 now, and he's had several brothers over the years, both his actual brother and a few other rescues, but he's the only cat at the moment) and a rescue dog (see his story here) who is a 2-year-old Border Collie mix who could power the entire U.S. if we could figure out how to tap into his energy supply.  Luckily, my husband is a runner who takes him on 10 mile jaunts almost daily.

I wish I had a bigger house, a bigger yard, and a bigger income to be able to afford more.  If I could, I'd rescue them all.  Maybe someday we can have a farm too, that would have enough land to support a lot more.  In the meantime, I donate what I can to organizations that help homeless animals.

My younger son playing with one of the shelter cats

A few years ago, I decided our new Christmas tradition would be buying all the things on the local shelter's "wish list" and delivering it during visiting hours, with my kids, so we could also give the animals some extra holiday love.  The very first year we did this, the strangest thing happened on Christmas - a psychic medium at a party (who had never met me), gave me a message from my mother about this trip to see the animals.  More on that story here. While I write romance mixed with ghost stories, I'm a bit of a skeptic about "readings" and such.  But this was enough to make me believe some gifted people can talk to spirits, and I truly believe my mother wanted me to know how happy she was that we made that trip.

This is the stuff my sister got for
the dogs - she had a cart of
treats and supplies for cats too

This year, I posted some pictures on Facebook, in the hopes I might inspire others to visit their local shelters.  My sister saw the post and immediately said she'd do it too.  We live eight hours apart, which I hate, but I was thrilled that this gesture connected us in a small way for the holidays.  And I hope this tradition reminds my children of the importance of showing kindness to all the creatures of the world, especially those in need, and of the joy you can get from picking out presents for animals without a family.  My hope is that my boys, and my sister's girls, will continue the tradition with their children someday.  Happy holidays!

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!
 

My Obsession with #Ghosts - Kathryn Knight

 

When I was in second grade, my father brought home the usual weekly stack of chapter books the local librarian had recommended for me.  Generally, the books revolved around horses, my main interest as an 8-year-old girl.  But sometimes other subject matter found its way into the pile, and this time, there was a book entitled Jane-Emily, by Patricia Clapp.  The tag line read “A ghost story…and a love story”.  My first paranormal romance—I was hooked.  I read that book over and over again throughout my childhood.  I’ve read it to my children.  When I see a looking glass ball in someone’s yard, the young ghost of the fictional Emily is still the first thing that jumps into my thoughts.

Since that book, the blend of romance and ghosts has always been my favorite.  For me, a mysterious and spooky paranormal element combined with a tension-filled romantic relationship is the perfect recipe for an exciting read.

It’s no surprise, then, that both of my paranormal romance novels involve spirits in desperate need of help.  Still, I’ve never actually seen a ghost.  Not for lack of trying, however.  I’ve been on ghost tours and visited rumored haunted locations.  Nevertheless, I firmly believe the spirits of loved ones survive the body’s passing, mostly because of something that happened to me last Christmas.

I had a particularly joyous Christmas in 2011, because I had just received my first publishing contract for Silver Lake.  I was also in the midst of writing my second manuscript, Gull Harbor, which has a medium as a heroine.  So when I heard there was a medium at a Christmas party I was attending, I was eager to speak with him.

As I asked him general questions pertaining to his talent, he looked distracted.  Finally, he said, “There’s someone here to speak with you.  Is that okay?”

With a nod and a gulp, I listened to what he had to say.  It wasn’t exact sentences, but I immediately knew who it was—my mother, who died when I was 25.  I had never met this man—in fact, I lived in a town 2 hours away.  I didn’t pay him a dime.  But he was hitting details of my life spot-on, including a recent trip I made with my kids to deliver Christmas presents to our local animal shelter (Mom and I shared a love of all animals).

There were so many things he said that sent shivers down my spine, but at one point he kept saying, “Wild Flowers?  I’m getting wild flowers.”  And then it clicked for me: my biggest dream had recently come true—I had sold my manuscript to The Wild Rose Press.

Seeing Silver Lake published after years of hard work is truly a dream come true.  And I’m thankful that it seems on some level, my mother is looking down, sharing it with me.  While I find that infinitely comforting, my writing will probably continue to feature a spookier kind of ghost: the kind that has to haunt the hero and heroine to get its message through.  The kind that raises a few goose bumps on the reader’s arm.  And hopefully, the kind that keeps the pages turning, well into the night. 

Get ready for Halloween with Jason and Rain as they struggle to solve the mystery of their friend’s disappearance.  Along the way, they fight against the attraction that still exists between them.  Will they eventually give in to their feelings? 

Click here for all SILVER LAKE Buy Links!

Or visit Cape Cod’s Gull Harbor, where medium Claire Linden must face the aggressive ghost haunting her client’s house and the ex-boyfriend who mysteriously abandoned her after graduation.  Can Max protect Claire from a danger that extends beyond the paranormal?

Click here for all GULL HARBOR Buy Links!

Gull Harbor - Amazon Best Seller! Kathryn Knight

Thankfully, sales are still going strong after Gull Harbor's debut on Kindle.  As part of Amazon's Kindle Select Program, the title was offered for free for 5 days in April, and it hit the #1 ranking in the Free Store in Fantasy Romance.  Many of my fellow authors were interested in how I promoted my free days, so last week I blogged about all the effort I put into spreading the word.  And as I researched ranking categories for that post, I discovered something that helped propel Gull Harbor onto a Best Sellers list in the Paid Store.

Paranormal Romance is a huge catch-all genre, incorporating stories that include vampires, angels, demons, witches, wizards, fairies, time travel, ghosts, shifters, and anything else an author's mind can conjure up.  At The Wild Rose Press, it's such a popular genre that we have two separate lines: Faery Rose publishes the "lighter" paranormals, such as angels and time travel, and Black Rose publishes the paranormals with a "darker" element, such as werewolves and vampires.

But Amazon is different, and I'm still learning my way around this enormous marketplace.  Both my novels are ghost stories--with human heroes and heroines attempting to unravel a mysterious haunting--which are not as numerous as paranormal romances involving vampires or demons.  I know from my personal reading preferences that the only "ghost" subcategory in Amazon falls under horror.  While there are a lot of spooky and suspenseful moments in both Silver Lake and Gull Harbor, I would never classify them as horror.  So I didn't give subcategories much thought, especially since our marketing department handles our book listings on all the various sites they are offered for sale.

If I understand correctly, each Kindle book can be classified under two categories.  Both my novels were entered as Romance>Paranormal and Romance>Fantasy.  Truthfully, with the millions of titles available on Amazon (over 2 million currently on Kindle), I never expected to see much of a breakdown for my titles other than overall ranking. 

But the exposure gained by Gull Harbor's free days paid off.  Even after the free promo was over, the title stayed within the top 100 Best Sellers in Romance>Fantasy in the paid store for a while.  And as I wrote up last week's blog post, I noticed something I hadn't considered before.

The Romance>Fantasy category has no subcategories to narrow the rankings down--but Paranormal Romance has four:  Demons & Devils, Psychics, Vampires, and Witches & Wizards.  I'd been so fixated on "ghosts" as the paranormal element in my books, it actually took me a second to realize Gull Harbor fits nicely into "Psychics".  In the blurb, Claire is described as a "medium"--but that's essentially short for "psychic medium".  While she's recently embraced her talent for communicating with restless spirits, she is of course completely human.  For that reason, I just wasn't thinking of her as paranormal. 

I fired off a quick email to our marketing director, and Gull Harbor was moved into this more narrow category within Paranormal Romance.  Since then, it has stayed on the list of Top 100 Best Sellers in Psychic Romance.  It soared as high as #5 out of those top 100, and is currently at #20. 

It's been thrilling to see my novel on the first page in the Paid Kindle Store.  While I know it won't last forever, I'm trying to live in the moment and enjoy the ride!  And taking time off from working on my YA paranormal to write and research that blog post truly made an impact for me this time...if only I'd taken the time to capture a screen shot of that #5 ranking!