I received some lovely surprises today. The first came from my friend Charlene Raddon in the form of a short review for A Piece of My Heart. She said, "I just finished reading Kemberlee Shortland's new romance, A Piece of My Heart. To read a book set in Ireland, written by someone who really knows the country, is a breath of fresh air. I so enjoy the lovely flavor of Ireland she's captured in her story. Kudos, Kem. I love it." While Char is a long time friend, I highly respect her honesty. She never says something she doesn't mean. So I appreciate her comments with tremendous thanks. I've learned a lot from Char about the publishing world over the years.
For the uninitiated, Char is a multi-published and multi-award winning author of historical romance. Her backlist includes Tender Touch, To Have and To Hold, and Forever Mine, and The Scent of Roses written as Rachel Summers. Her stories have consistently been five star reads. Unfortunately, life through Char a curveball at the height of her career, but she's getting back in the game. I can't wait to read her next book! She's such an incredible storyteller.
Check out Char's blog. She's a wealth of information about the publishing world, as well as historical and family research.
The second surprise I received today was also from Char. Wednesday she posted an article called Is Research Really Necessary. In the article, she used A Piece of My Heart as an example of writing what you know. I really love her articles, but of course, this one is near and dear to my heart.
The third surprise came in the form of another book review for A Piece of My Heart. Mary Gramlich of The Reading Reviewer said, "Wonderful story with just enough drama to stir the pot, a touch of tortured past to keep you guessing and more than enough relationship drama with Mick and Kate to make the reader keep hoping." Thanks so much, Mary! I'm glad you liked the story. A great read for St Patick's Day, eh?!
I'd like to thank everyone who's read A Piece of My Heart, whether a book reviewer or a reader. I really appreciate your support and your wonderful comments. You're all setting the bar very high for the next book in the series! :-)
~ Kemberlee
