Happy New Year, Dwarf Style

The new Hobbit movie, The Desolation of Smaug, has hit theaters and caused a sensation.  All of a sudden, it’s all about the dwarves – and I can see why!  Richard Armitage is every inch (if short) a king, and the antics of his merry band are heartwarming and, at times, romantic.

I saw an interview with Irish actor Aidan Turner, where he was asked about the relationship between his character, the Dwarf Kili, and the Elven warrior Tauriel.  The romance never took place in the book, so why the movie?  He makes the point that it adds depth to the characters and it’s an important aspect of the overall story.  I couldn’t agree more!  I was rooting for his character and for Tauriel to catch up to him when he was wounded, and there’s even the potential for a love triangle because our favorite elf Legolas fancies Tauriel.  Oh nos!

What do you think when directors change a classic story in order to tell a modern tale?  Not that romance is modern, in any particular; it’s a story as old as time itself.  But should a director add an element that isn’t there in the books, in order to please modern viewers?  Some fans of Robert Ludlum lament that the immensely popular Jason Bourne movie franchise aren’t true to the books.  But the movies are good movies, enjoyable and fast-paced.  I would argue that Peter Jackson has done the same with the Hobbit and deepened the tale, enriching it and telling more of the story as it could have been.

What’s your opinion?  Change away, or leave it the way it is thankyouverymuch?  I’d love to know in the comments!

Getting OUTBACK DIRTY with JoAnne Kenrick

Thanks for hosting me on your blog today, Delilah. It’s always a pleasure and an honor when my favorite authors give up a corner of their space for me to pimp my work. It makes me feel special! Very special. So seriously, thank you for the pink fluffy moment!

I’m here at Delilah’s place today to chat about my new release and the awesome new multi- author series it belongs to.

OUTBACK DIRTY, Calendar Men book one.

 Granted, I’m known for my British voice and stories. And I have been asked several times already why on earth I stepped out of my usual brand to write a story set in Australia without a Brit in sight. Well, simply put, I was homesick! Yes, I’m a Brit, but I’ve lived in quite a few different places and in Australia for three glorious years. I miss the laid back…or should that be ‘she’ll be right’…attitude of the Aussies, and the glorious landscapes and the beer. Oh how I miss Tooheys. I could just neck a frosty Tooheys right about now. That’s right, folks, XXXX and Fosters are not Aussies best beers. They keep the good stuff for themselves. Can’t blame them for that!

We lived in New South Wales. While we were there, we did travel that area, but it’s my one regret to have not travelled farther. Lucky for me, I got to do that in my mind with OUTBACK DIRTY. But really, all it did was make me want to visit the Northern Territory even more. Although I’m not a fan of the deadly creepy crawlies, I sure would love a stay at the Outback Experience…and I’d love nothing more than to get OUTBACK DIRTY (inside joke for those who’ve read the book already).

Without further a fuss, cop a load of the blurb:

She’ll do anything to win him back… even if it means getting OUTBACK DIRTY.

 Chris Ruter’s plan for Australia Day is to beat the heat by letting the beer flow. His New York ex, Janine, seems determined to drive the heel of her sharp stiletto right through the wall he’s built to avoid memories of her–but does she want him in front of her camera or in her bed?

 Janine Red is ready to get outback dirty to win back her sexy ex. Following him to his plantation, their bushwalk turns into a trip down memory lane. Can the magic of the outback heal her sprained ankle–and their hearts?

BUYLINKS CAN BE FOUND ON THE BOOK LANDING PAGE

https://calendar-men.blogspot.com/2013/12/mrjanuary-calendarmen.html

AUTHOR’S WEBSITE: https://www.joannekenrick.com

Calendar Men, the series.

Heroes doing good while looking great!

Read all 12 stories in this brand new multi-author series for 2014…

…and you’ll have a new book-boyfriend for every month of the year!

A man for every month!

Told by some of best authors in the world of romance, the Calendar Men stories have contemporary settings and star strong heroes doing good while looking great. With off-the-charts swoon-factor, the Calendar Men pose for a charity calendar to help military families of fallen heroes. Each has his own special reason for wanting to help the fictional Hero Family Fund, and each has his own obstacles to overcome before he can find a happy ever after.

Release Dates:

January 1^st – Outback Dirty by JoAnne Kenrick
February 1^st – February Lover by Rebecca Royce
March 1^st – Seducing Helena by Ann Mayburn
April 1^st – Frontier Inferno by Kate Richards
May 1^st – Shockwave by D. L. Jackson
June 1^st – The Other Brother by Lucy Felthouse
July 1^st – The Letter by Mina Carter
August 1^st – Burning Love by Cassandra Carr
September 1^st – A Model Hero by Sara Daniel
October 1^st – Falling For her Navy SEAL Again by Clarissa Yip
November 1^st – Thankful For You by Cindy Spencer Pape
December 1^st – Snow Angels by Sabrina York

Series news, exclusives, freebies, and more at the official Calendar Men blog:

https://calendar-men.blogspot.com

Okay, I’m not crazy about his tie. But I thought a picture would liven up the post. Happy New Year everyone!

First, let me say—thank you! You all have made my dreams come true. I keep saying that in dedications in books, but I will keep saying it because it’s absolutely true. You have made it possible for me to become the thing I wanted to be—a self-employed writer.

Yesterday, I reviewed what I accomplished last year. Now, I’d like to talk a little about what I hope to accomplish this year.

This is a little corner of the annual plan I’ve constructed for the year. Just looking at the numbers under January, you might guess I plan to write a stupid number of chapters this month. I have to! I got myself boxed in and overcommitted, and now I have to dig myself out, but once I get past mid-February—if I can power through—I will take a much more leisurely pace for the rest of the year.

And what sort of stories can you expect from me in 2014?

I already have three stories written that will be released in 2014, as well as one collection of short stories I edited for Cleis Press:

Reined In (Feb)—Book 7 in the Lone Star Lovers series (Samhain)
Once is Never Enough (May)—Book 5 (the last one!) in the Delta Heat series (Samhain)
Her Only Desire (May)—Book 1 in the Sultry Summer Nights series (Samhain)
Cowboy Heat (Jun) (Cleis Press)

I plan to add one last book to the Lone Star Lovers series after Reined In, and then it’s done. I’ll be adding book 9 to the My Immortal Knights series. I finished the Delta Heat series, but now I’m going to add Delta Heat-Firehouse 69 books so I can chase those sexy firefighters for a while. With Lone Star stories finishing up, I’m starting a Comanche Moon Ranch series I hope you’ll love. And since I don’t like to write straight contemporary without breaks for things I find personally exciting, I’ll be starting a new witch series of stories—novellas I’ll publish with Samhain. Then there are the SEAL books… Argh. So many projects. If you read the boxed collection of stories, Uniform Desires, then you know all about my military hero in that book. The next two books in that series (which follow the adventures of three travel agents taking adventure vacations who get into a whole lot trouble only a military man can rescue them from) will be coming out this year too.

And that might not be everything, but now you know I’m gonna be busy.

You’re probably curious to know who won December’s Amazon.com gift card. It’s Pansy Petal (Dec. 11)! Congrats, Pansy! I’ll be in touch shortly to arrange delivery of your prize!