November 2012

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Friday, November 23, 2012

Black Friday Blog Hop


The Black Friday Blog Hop was organized by 
Carrie Ann's Blog Hops!

All day on November 23rd - Black Friday, I'm participating in the Black Friday Blog Hop hosted by Carrie Ann's Blog Hops! And to one lucky Follower, I'll be giving away a $10 Amazon Gift Card!

Details:
One (1) $10 Amazon Gift Card to the winner of the Hop!
Open to International Entries.
Drawing for the Giveaway will be held on
November 24, 2012, and the winner will be announced on
November 24, 2012.
To be eligible to enter the Giveaway, use the Rafflecopter Form below!

 But that's not all....

We have THREE grand prizes. You as a reader can go to EACH blog and comment with your email address and be entered to win. Yup, you can enter over 200 times!

Now for the GRAND Prize! Drum roll please...

1st Grand Prize: A Kindle Fire or Nook Tablet
2nd Grand Prize: A $75 Amazon or B&N Gift Card
3rd Grand Prize: A Swag Pack that contains 10+ paperbacks, ebooks, 50+ bookmarks, cover flats, magnets, pens, coffee cozies, and more!

Hop and enter the other giveaways!

Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Twenty Questions with Patricia Kiyono

Meet your new favorite authors!

I confess I was fascinated the first time I talked writing with Patty and she told me about her Samuri historical Book-of-the-Heart she wanted to write because it tied into her Japanese history.  I get so excited when those dream projects grow to fruition  . . . and get into my avid reader's hands.  I'm still waiting for Samuri Garden to be available, but in the meantime I've been enjoying Patty's sweet short Regency The Partridge and the Pear Tree.  You'll fall in love with the wonderful, warm characters who are as uniquely delightful as the author.  Meet Patricia Kiyono . . .


Getting to know Patricia Kiyono:

1. Party dress or blue jeans? Blue jeans, definitely!


2. Night owl or early bird? Both. I don't sleep more than five hours at a time. But sometimes I take naps when I'm burnt out.

3. TV at home or movie theatre? Neither. I don't know how to turn the TV on (too many remotes) and my hubby won't go out.

4. Broadway or museum? Both! I'm a musician and a history buff. Do I really have to make a choice?

5. Five words you use to describe yourself: Busy, happy, curious, chubby, grandma

6. Other creative outlets? Sewing, scrapbooking, crocheting, knitting, and crafting (any kind)

7. Things that make you want to go “EEEEEEK!” Flying insects, toilet seats left up

8. Favorite books from childhood: The Boxcar Children. Love those independent and resourceful kids!

9. What music are you listening to? (While you write?) Classical instrumental music. I can't listen to anything with words.

10. Gourmet cook or take out? I have a live-in gourmet cook. He's always done the cooking since he got home from work three hours before I did. When he retired, he started subscribing to food magazines and watching the Food Channel for more recipes and he tries them out!

The Written word:


11. What type of fiction heroine would you be? Jane Eyre or Lara Croft? Jayne Eyre. But I'd love to be Lara for a day.

12. Favorite genre to read? (Is it what you write?) Romantic suspense. I've tried to write it, with Aegean Intrigue, but I'm not sure it's my forte.

13. What would you love to write that you haven’t? A cozy mystery. I love to read Donna Andrews and Joanne Fluke.

14. Fiction hero you would run off with: Janet Evanovich’s Joe Morelli.

15. What are you reading right now? The Accidental Immortal by S G Rogers

A Writer’s Life:


16. How many submissions did you send out before publication? None. When I finally got brave enough to submit to a publisher, the manuscript was accepted.

17. Do you have a set writing schedule? No. I write whenever I can. But I always write my 750 words as soon as I can at 750words.com

18. Biggest hurdle to getting words on the page and how you overcome it: In writing The Partridge and the Peartree I got hung up on the whole business about how people in various stations of life would address members of the nobility, and how the nobles would address each other. It was a lot to take in! I overcame it by simply writing the story and then looking up each question.

19. What’s on your desk? Candy wrappers, a mug half-filled with coffee, several books…

20. When can we get your next book? The Partridge and the Peartree was released at Astraea Press on November 1, and The Samurai's Garden is available today, also at Astraea Press!

Blurbs:


For The Partridge and the Peartree:

Phillip Peartree, Duke of Bartlett, dreamed of a peaceful life with a suitable mate until a hunting accident left him scarred and nearly deaf. Resigned to spending the rest of his days alone, Phillip has devoted himself to rebuilding his family estate. But, a chance encounter with a lovely young woman in a dusty bookstore rekindles his almost-forgotten hopes and dreams.

Lady Amelia Partridge has no time for the frivolity of the London social scene. She is much too busy. In addition to her work with the Ladies Literary Society, she has a mission – educating poor children in the city. She also has a secret life, one she fears might drive away the young duke who has become increasingly important to her.

For The Samurai's Garden:


Hiro Tanaka prepared for a life as a samurai warrior. But his world changed when Japan's feudal system was abolished by the Emperor. Now, he must find a new vocation. Disillusioned with fighting and violence, he travels alone, going north to the island of Hokkaido. Many other samurai wander through the country and are known as ronin. Some have forsaken their honorable way to prey on the less fortunate.

Hanako Shimizu experienced first-hand the devastation caused by these disreputable wanderers. The previous winter, they raided her farm and killed her husband. Now, she needs to rebuild but has no money and no prospects -- except for the dubious intentions of the town merchant.

When Hiro, tired of his wandering, encounters Hanako in the market, arguing with the merchant, he poses as her late husband’s cousin then offers to help her on the farm in exchange for a place to stay. Working on the land, Hiro finally finds the peace he has been seeking. But the reappearance of the rogue ronin, led by an unscrupulous leader from Hiro’s past, forces him to take up his swords again. But now, the stakes are higher.

This time, he's fighting from the heart.

Bio:

During her first career, Patricia Kiyono taught elementary music, computer classes, elementary classrooms, and junior high social studies. She now teaches music education at the university level.

Patricia lives in southwest Michigan with her husband, not far from her children and grandchildren. Current interests, aside from writing, include sewing, crocheting, scrapbooking, and music. A love of travel and an interest in faraway people inspires her to create stories about different cultures.


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