SPECIAL: Irish Pride Box Set

IRISH PRIDE BOX SET
includes three novels and one novella
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA
Amazon AU

Or BUY HERE

SALE

$2.99

Hello readers!

Celebrating the start of a new year, I'm offering my Irish Pride series box set at the special price of just $2.99 (value $17.96!)

This sale is only available via Amazon (all sites). Get yours while you can.

And I'd love to hear your comments when you've read the books. Please leave a review on the Amazon site where you've purchased the series.

What to expect of this box set?

This box set includes:

Rhythm of My Heart - Eilis Kennedy, gave up a singing career to become an Artists Representative with Eireann Records. Kieran Vaughan is just the talent she needs to contract who will really launch her career, while at the same time getting her out from under her boss's thumb. Fergus Manley vows to have Eilis in his bed at any cost.

A Piece of My Heart and the short story sequel, Constant Craving - Ten years after their break-up, the addendum in Mick's father's will forces Mick and Kate together to save Mick's heritage. Kate thought she was falling in love with Mick all over again, but a new revelation is too much for her. She is determined to finally say goodbye forever to her childhood sweetheart. Mick has other plans for Kate's future. And none of them involve goodbye.

Shape of My Heart - Gráinne moonlights at The Klub! to earn money for college tuition. John ‘JD’ Desmond is an undercover detective. The Klub!, owned by Jimmy Malloy, is being used as a drug front, headed by the notorious Taylor 'The Hunter' Wade. JD wanted Gráinne to snitch for him, but things get complicated when they fall in love. When Gráinne witnesses Jimmy’s murder, she and JD are forced to run for their lives.

If you've already read books in this series, and have reviewed on the books' pages on Amazon, perhaps you'll copy those reviews onto the box set page as well. I can only obtain ad space for the box set once I meet the minimum reviews quota. Thanks!

Happy new year, everyone. I hope your 2017 is wonderful!

SNOG IN THE SNOW

Thanks to Victoria Blisse for inviting me to participate in the Blissemas Snog in the Snow event . . . to post an excerpt from a holiday story that includes a snog . . . a hot and heavy kiss!

Please be sure to leave a comment for your entry into the Snog in the Snow prize! All comments are entered to win a new Kindle Voyage!

So here's one of my favorite snogs. This is from book three in my Irish Pride series, SHAPE OF MY HEART. Grainne and JD have been at odds since their first meeting, but much of it has been laced in pent up desire..

She’d often wondered what it would be like to kiss JD. Ever since the night she’d danced for him in The Klub! she’d let her mind run mazes through her fantasies about him. She’d permitted herself the fantasies, because that’s all she’d allowed herself until school was done and she had the education she craved. But this was no fantasy. JD was nothing like anything her wild imagination could ever conjure. He was pure flesh, hardness and heat, and his kiss had her undone.

Instinct took over, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Tilting her head, she parted her lips and welcomed his intruding tongue. The moment they touched, JD groaned deep in his throat and his arms hauled her against him, closer still. His hands were flat on her back, holding her, the pads of his fingers massaging her flesh.

Gráinne gasped when he pressed his hips against her again and again. No, not his hips. Something harder. He slid his hands around and grasped her bottom, squeezing it roughly, holding her as he slowly ground himself against her.

As his kiss deepened, Gráinne continued losing all sense of reality. She couldn’t believe how easily JD made her drop her defenses. Was she so needy for a man’s touch?

“JD,” she heard herself whisper, but he didn’t seem to hear her. Or if he did, he ignored her. “John.” He looked at her then. His eyes smoldered with desire. What she felt echoed in his gaze.

“You’re so soft,” he murmured, as he stroked the backs of his fingers against her cheek, smoothing away an errant curl. His gaze followed his fingers as they traveled down her neck to her collarbone, and then dipped to the cleft between her breasts. He used both to part the collar of her wrap, easily pushing it off her shoulders. Too easily. She couldn’t stop him. She followed his gaze to her breasts where he gently cupped them. Her nipples pebbled under his thumbs.

She felt his breath against her skin just before he claimed a nipple between his lips. The feel of his mouth on her was like lightning strike. It shot a bolt of fire through her body so intense she arched against him. She buried her fingers in his hair just to make sure he didn’t stop.

Her body was on fire. Every nerve ending was alive with sensation.

He slipped his arms around her and the tiny hairs on his arms grazed her skin, sending tingles up her spine. The cool night air did nothing to tame the sensations racing through her. There was nothing she could to do stop him. Her will was gone.

He gazed up at her while he suckled her. Neither moved. His gaze was intense, questioning, as if asking for permission to continue.

Then he moved to her other breast.

“Jazus!” she cursed aloud.

She should have said no.

She should have said stop.

She should have said a lot of things. Later, when she had her senses back, she was sure she’d come up with several choice words. Right now, though, she found it hard just to breathe.

JD rose and reclaimed her mouth. His chest hairs on her sensitive breasts enticed her all the more. She was forced to grasp the counter to remain upright.

As if she wasn’t having enough trouble standing on two legs, JD hauled one leg around his waist. It was by willpower alone she was able to stand at all.

The instant his lips touched hers again, it seemed her whole world stood still; his fire consumed her. It washed over her and drowned her in a pool of liquid passion the like she’d never felt before. No man had ever kissed her with as much feeling.

God, he would make her come if he kept rubbing against her like this. And God help her, she wanted him inside her. Now.

It was all too much. The realization of what she was doing hit her so suddenly, it left her shattered and weak. She had to remind herself sex was not love, no matter how good it felt. She craved approval. She wanted acceptance. She wanted to be loved, damn it! By God, JD’s touch echoed something she fought hard to name.

“No,” she gasped, pushing him back.

Every inch of her flesh was alive with feeling. It had never been like this before. No man had ever made her feel this way. No man had ever touched her so lovingly. His touch was loving but it wasn’t love. She barely knew the man. No. It wasn’t love, she told herself.

He shot his gaze up to hers, passion and confusion twisting as one across his face.

She was slow to come back to earth, but when she did, a wave of shame washed over her, drowning her contentment.

“I’m sorry. No.” She pushed JD away from her, but her legs refused to support her weight and she would have sunk to the floor had he not steadied her. She grasped the edges of her robe and pulled them back together.

Her eyes filled with tears. She bit her lip to keep them at bay. She would not let him see how this affected her. She couldn’t look at him, but his fingers were on her chin and turning her toward him. His eyes were filled with passion and . . . something. She couldn’t read his expression.

“No,” she gasped through the tears suddenly spilling down her cheeks. “Leave me alone.”

It had to be the stress of the day making her feel this way, making her so vulnerable, and not that she desired JD. But she did desire him. She had since Halloween night when he surreptitiously stepped into her life.

“Sshhh,” he whispered, and pulled her against him. “It’s okay.”

“Please, just . . . don’t.” He refused to listen to her. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. He cupped the back of her head in his hot palm and held her to his shoulder where she finally lost it.

Reminder: Be sure to leave a comment for your entry into the Snog in the Snow prize! All comments are entered to win a new Kindle Voyage!

 

AVAILABLE NOW

IRISH PRIDE SERIES BOX SET
by me...Kemberlee Shortland :-)

Price: $7.99 (SALE $2.99 through Sept!)

Buy Here: Tirgearr Publishing

This box set includes all of the stories in the Irish Pride Series:

Rhythm of My Heart - Eilis Kennedy, gave up a singing career to become an Artists Representative with Eireann Records. Kieran Vaughan is just the talent she needs to contract who will really launch her career, while at the same time getting her out from under her boss's thumb. Fergus Manley vows to have Eilis in his bed at any cost.

A Piece of My Heart and the short story sequel, Constant Craving - Ten years after their break-up, the addendum in Mick's father's will forces Mick and Kate together to save Mick's heritage. Kate thought she was falling in love with Mick all over again, but a new revelation is too much for her. She is determined to finally say goodbye forever to her childhood sweetheart. Mick has other plans for Kate's future. And none of them involve goodbye.

Shape of My Heart - Gráinne moonlights at The Klub! to earn money for college tuition. John ‘JD’ Desmond is an undercover detective. The Klub!, owned by Jimmy Malloy, is being used as a drug front, headed by the notorious Taylor 'The Hunter' Wade. JD wanted Gráinne to snitch for him, but things get complicated when they fall in love. When Gráinne witnesses Jimmy’s murder, she and JD are forced to run for their lives.

I can't keep calm, it's Irish Pride Week!

I hope you're all looking forward to Irish Pride Week as much as I am. I have lots in store for the week, including book excerpts, Q&A, a quiz or two, and much more.

I'm giving away spot prizes, and at the end of the week, there's a grand prize which has been donated by Macroom Land trust . . . your very own piece of Ireland!

And let's chat about Ireland.

‪#readmeimirish‬ and ‪#‎irishprideweek‬ will get you there at Facebook, or click this link and go direct --

https://www.facebook.com/events/420936188042159

The books in the Irish Pride Series are releasing this week --

7 April - Rhythm of My Heart
9 April - A Piece of My Heart
11 April - Shape of My Heart

To celebrate this series, my publisher, Tirgearr Publishing, is offering the Kindle titles at just 99c through April!

Today, I'm celebrating the re-release of Rhythm of My Heart. Follow me over to Facebook for all the excitment!

Let's rock and roll!

I can't keep calm. It's Irish Pride Week!!

Irish Pride Week 7 - 11 April

Join me on Facebook for the week of 7 - 11 April to celebrate Irish Pride Week.

This is an all week event to relaunch my popular Irish Pride Series.

Monday 7 April - relaunch RHYTHM OF MY HEART
Wednesday 9 April - relaunch A PIECE OF MY HEART
Friday 11 April - release SHAPE OF MY HEART

The series has been re-covered by the amazing Kim Killion, featuring some of today's top romance models.

The week will be filled with fun and prizes, so head over and join the event today. Tell your friends.

https://www.facebook.com/events/420936188042159

#readmeimirish and #irishprideweek will get you there too.

Join me! The craic will be mighty ;-)

Music To Write By

At 4pm EST/9GMT, I'll be on Red River Radio talking with some friends about the music we write by and what inspires our writing. I thought I'd post a few of those songs here for your listening enjoyment, along with some of the expected questions.

I hope you get a chance to listen. If the time doesn't suit, click the link when you have time, as the show is streamed afterward.

• • •

Were any of your books inspired by a song? If so, which?

My stories aren't really inspired by songs . . .  I don't hear a song and say "I'll write a story to go with that." But all of my published books are titled after songs. Some songs to resonate in the stories though, as a line in a song might reflect a scene or a character's mood or thoughts at the time.


Do you find yourself including music within your books?

Do you mean adding song lyrics into stories? That's a tough call. The Fair Use Laws say you can use about 10% of a total work but doesn’t specify lyrics. Record lables say 0%. But record labels are also the ones trying to copyright performers' names . . . Cher, Madonna, Adele, etc. Even if your legal name is the same as a recording artist and you publish with that name, the label has been known to file a law suit demanding you stop.


Do you use music for mood, pacing, etc in your novels?

Normally I don’t write with music on in the background, but for certain scenes I will. A good battle scene requires some Carmina Burana.

Love scenes require some great make-out music. The Greatest Gift by Robert Plant melts me from the inside.

Have you taken a song title for a book title?

All of them so far-

Rhythm of My Heart (Rod Stewart)
A Piece of My Heart (Janis Joplin)
Shape of My Heart (Sting)
Constant Craving (KD Lang)
The Power of Love (Frankie Goes to Hollywood version)
Moondance (Van Morrison)
Tutti-Frutti Blues (inspired by Little Richard's Tutti-Frutti)
Dude Looks Like A Lady (Aerosmith)


Are any of your characters musicians?

Yes, Rhythm of My Heart - Kieran Vaughan blues guitarist, Eilis Kennedy former singer.


Do your characters' musical tastes reflect yours?

More so the characters’ tastes reflect their character. It just happens that my characters and I share similar tastes.


What kind of music do you listen to when you write?

Aside from the formerly mentioned Carmina Burran and makeout music for love scenes, I tend to not listen to much music while I'm writing. I will listen a lot while researching though.


Is there any type of music you will absolutely not ever listen to?

Ecclectic tastes. Listen to anything I like.

Heavy rap is out but I’ll sometimes listen to Eminem.

Most jazz but I like Diana Washington.

Must be in the mood for most classical but I can listen to songs like Clare de Lune, Moonlight Sonatta, and Variations on a Theme of Paganini (Somewhere in Time).

Some authors make playlists for every book. Have you done that?

I do have some files on my YouTube account which have songs which I listened to during the research process of my stories.

Example – Rhythm of My Heart

Rythm of My Heart Rod Stewart
You Do Something to Me – Paul Weller
The Longer – Gary Moore . . . the 15 minutes version

Example – A Piece of My Heart

A Piece of My Heart – Janis Joplin
If You Don’t Want to Love Me – James Morrison
I Will – Christy Hennessy

•    Constant Craving – KD Lang

Example – Shape of My Heart

Shape of My Heart – Sting
I Just Wanna Make Love to You – Etta James
It’s A Man’s World – James Brown

What are some of your favorite musicians?

I listen to a lot of classic rock David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin), John Bulter, Estas Tonne, Daft Punk, Crosby/Stills/Nash, Imelda May, Janis and Jimi, etc.

If you had the chance to put together the perfect band, who would be in it? (Drums, vocals, guitar, bass, keyboard)

Tough one. So many great vocalists out there. I think Led Zeppelin already cornered the market – Plant on vocals, Page on guitar, Jones on keyboard and other instruments, Bonzo on drums . . . Jason Bonham on drums. How do you improve on that?

What is your favorite instrument in the band?

Second to a great voice is the guitar. I’d listen to an hour long guitar solo before a ten minute drum solo any day.


If you were stuck on a dessert island and had only one album to listen to, what would it be? (Yes, this assumes you had unlimited power but no wi-fi)

One album? Another tough one. It would either be –

Celebration Day/Led Zeppelin – Recorded live in 2010 for a one-off reunion concert, featuring Jason Bonham on drums.

David Gilmour’s Comfortably Numb Live Concert.


Do you ever get songs stuck in your head that simply won't go away? How do you purge them?

I don’t get many bad ear worms, thank goodness. When I do, I’ll put on some great music to drive out the demon worm. That is, unless, the earworm is a great tune, in which case it’s calling to me and I need to hear it. A few songs are like that. Those are the ones that need to have the volume on high and the dogs in the other room :-)

Turn this one up!

A New Year and New Happenings

It's a new year and new things are on the horizon. Now that I've caught up from the holidays, and January coming to a close, I figured it would be a good opportunity to put a few things out there.

There was a great turn out for the Christmas themed stories through Tirgearr Publishing at the start of December 2012. My story, The Power of Love, among those stories released at that time. This is probably my favorite short story so far. Definitely the most emotive one.

The year is looking quite busy here. Next up for me will be a guest appearance on Dellani Oakes' radio show at Red River Radio. I'll be joined by some of my fellow authors, including, David Toft, Cathy Mansell, Charlene Raddon, KA Laity, Lynette Willows, Carley Bauer . . . I don't have the final list yet so forgive me if I missed someone!

This show is to commemorate the one year anniversary of Tirgearr Publishing. You'll want to tune in, as we'll be announcing something great coming up to celebrate the company's birthday!

Save The Date:
Date: Wednesday, 27 February
Time: 3-5pm EST (8-10pm GMT, 12 noon-2pm PST)
Place: Red River Radio

I'm currently working on a few personal projects, including finalizing the edits for Shape of My Heart, book three in the Irish Pride Series, which is out in the Fall.

I'm also working on a totally different project, a time travel, currently entitled The Diary. This book is slated for release early Spring 2014 to coincide with the 1000 year commemoration of the Battle of Clontarf in Dublin, Ireland, and also the 1000 year memorial of Ard Ri/High King Brian Boru's murder after that battle. As I understand it, a re-enactment group in Dublin will be putting on a big program for that weekend. Pretty exciting stuff.

As some of you know, I also write erotica under the name Scarlett Valentine. I'm currently working on her next release in the ABCs of S-E-X: Love by the Letter Series. That book is called Beguiler. Following that book is Conquered. Currently working on an early Summer release for Beguiler and late Fall for Conquered. Meanwhile, if you haven't read Awakening, grab a copy.

I'm sure there will be a few other surprises through the year, too. I can't tell you all of them. If I did, they wouldn't be surprises now, would they?! ;-)

All of my books are available for all digital readers. Check out my books' pages and click directly onto the link for your preferred device.

As always, I enjoy hearing from readers, so if you've read any of my work, I'd love to hear your comments.

Happy 2013 everyone and thanks for your support!

~ Kemberlee ☮

TAGGED: The Next Big Thing

My lovely friend and fabulous romantic suspense author, Cathie Dunn, has tagged me on The Next Big Thing. I hope I can live up to the expectation of being 'the next big thing' :-)

• • •

What is the title of your work in progress?

Well, my next book is already written and waiting to be published this time next year. It's called Shape of My Heart and is part of the Irish Pride Series. The working title of my WIP is called The Diary.

Where did the idea for the book come from?

I’m always fascinated by questions. One that came up when I was looking for my next story to write came while I was watching the time travel movie, Back to the Future. It had been stressed to Marty to “Never meet yourself” as it could create a paradox and alter the course of history. So the question came to my mind, just how would the course of history be changed if just one event back in time changed? Living in Ireland now, I have such an incredible history to draw from. I’ve become interested in the Viking history of Ireland and thus the Battle of Clontarf came up, which also meant Ireland’s greatest High King, Brian Boru. What if one thing at the Battle of Clontarf had changed and Brian had not been murdered in his tent? What of Ireland’s future then??

What genre does your book fall under?

Time travel. The Diary starts in contemporary 2014, but the heroine goes back 1000 years to Ireland to 1014, the year of the Battle of Clontarf.

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

Oh my! Let's see --

My hero is called Darragh. Darragh is old Irish for 'mighty oak', the oak being one of the strongest trees on the planet . . . kind of the strong, silent type in the tree world.

Darragh is the chieftain of his clan. He emulates his namesake but can kick some Viking bootie when the time comes.

The actor I envision when I'm writing Darragh is Anson Mount, lately of Hell on Wheels. In this particular picture, I can see my Darragh walking across this field in his wool and leather, sword in one hand, shield in the other, preparing to go against his foe, whomever it might be, to protect his people and the woman he loves.

Speaking of which, my heroine is a little more complicated in that, as this is a time travel story, she has two personas. The story opens in the year 2014 and she is Eevean O'Brien. She's an artist with Irish heritage. After being told tales of the O'Brien clan (the name originating from Brian Boru . . . O'Brien meaning 'of Brian'), Eevean's interest in Ireland grew. She's read everything there is on Brian Boru, and as an artist, she's painted the visions she gets from reading the tales. And from the graphic dreams she's had since childhood.

For many reasons, Eevean decides to travel to Ireland. While there, she discovers a secret portal to the past, back to 1014, to the Battle of Clontarf and to the side of her ancient ancestor, Brian Boru. In 1014, she is known as Aoibheann. She is the same woman yet not. If not for her spirited and tenacious personality, she would not survive such a journey, nor to such a time, and certainly not such a place.

The actress I can see playing this character is Kat Dennings, lately of 2 Broke Girls, and most particularly with this look. Eevean/Aoibheann has much of her looks, though not quite as busty, I have to say ;-)

What is the one sentence synopsis for the book?

A troubled past, a troubled future: A woman travels to Ireland to find herself and discovers much more than she expected.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Perhaps a little of both. Owning a publishing company makes it easier to get my work out there. However, everything I publish undergoes the same rigorous editing as all of our authors. If something isn’t working, the editors, and proofreaders, will tell me. And sometimes brutally honestly, which is what I appreciate. I don’t hire editors who pussyfoot around just because I’m the boss. If it doesn’t work, say so. And they do!

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

As The Diary is currently a work in progress, the first draft hasn’t been finished yet. However, with regards to the Irish Pride Series, each of those books averaged about seven weeks for first draft (Rhythm of My Heart 6 weeks, A Piece of My Heart 8 weeks, Shape of My Heart 7 weeks . . . Constant Craving doesn’t really equate as it’s a short story and only took a couple days).

What other books would you compare this story to withing your genre?

It’s difficult to compare The Diary to any other story because I’ve a twist in the story I’ve never read in any other book. However, I do know there are a few authors out there who’ve written both Brian Boru stories and stories set against the Battle of Clontarf, such as Pat McDermott (Band of Roses) and of course the incomparable Morgan Llywelyn (Lion of Ireland, etc).

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

Probably what inspired me to write this story was my own journey to Ireland in the mid 90s. Sort of a journey to find myself.

What else about your book may pique the reader's interest?

Anyone who loves historical romances, time travel or Ireland, will love this story. Or at least I hope to. I've tried to create a rich tapestry here . . . to be cliche! I'm striving for a balance between a wonderful love story and dramatic history of the times . . . a real epic tale! 

• • •

Okay, so it's my turn to tag some writer friends whose writing, voice and attitude I admire. 

Kristi Ahlers
http://kristiahlers.blogspot.com
If you haven't read The Trouble Series yet, do! The Trouble with Trouble is you can't put them down!

Dellani Oakes
http://dellanioakes.wordpress.com
She has a way with scenes . . . battle action one minute, bedroom action the next ;-)

Charlene Raddon
http://www.charleneraddon.blogspot.com
Wonderful historical romance. Like a step back in time.

Kate Laity
http://katelaity.wordpress.com
Hugely versatile author with a keen imagination.

Elizabeth Delisi
www.elizabethdelisi.blogspot.com
Clever whodunits and paranormal stories

Carley Bauer
http://fromcarleyslaptop.blogspot.com
Another wonderful historical romance novelist.

Lynette Willows
http://romancethethrillquill.blogspot.com
Part of a unique writing team with Carley Bauer. Great storyteller.

Have fun girls!

•❤•