Aloha to Karen Kelley and WHERE THERE'S A WILL

As you can imagine, I have a great relationship with the clerks at the base post office - I keep them in the black with my book giveaways!   Today's guest, Karen Kelley, had a different kind of relationship.  From her bio (at this link),

It didn't take me long to discover how things worked in the publishing world. You write a book, you mail it off, you get rejected, you write another book. I did this for six years until one day I talked my husband into mailing my manuscript for me. I couldn't take one more look of pity from the postal workers. Being the loving husband that he is, Karl mailed Bachelor Party to Hilary Sares at Kensington to be considered for the Precious Gem line on a Tuesday. On Friday of that same week, Hilary called to offer a contract.

Wow! Wouldn't it be great if everything in life was that easy? Publishing can be a rocky road with lots of highs and lows but, oh, what a fun trip! I love writing.

When I'm not writing, I love doing crafts, and I'll try just about anything. At present, I'm scrapbooking and making necklaces. The necklaces are amateur at best but I'm hoping to improve over time. We'll see :)

I'm country all the way. I love antiques, embroidered scarves, crocheted doilies and quilts. 

Jodi made this quilt, which I auctioned
at SOS Aloha to benefit Navy Seal Families

Kim:  What sustained you through the six years of "write, mail, reject"?

Karen:  Easy, my husband and children. Their encouragement kept me believing I would get published. I would probably also have to say that I had to write. Every time I wanted to give up another story idea would come along. I don't think any writer can completely stop writing. The stories are always there.

Kim:  Crafts! What crafts would your characters enjoy?

Karen:  LOL I think the nephilim would do something with silver. I can picture them heating the metal and shaping it. Destiny maybe cooking since she was a demon in training in Where There's Smoke. She's used to the heat.

In Where There's A Will Haley has no self confidence, but Ryder would probably teach her how to make something out of the silver he heated.

Hot lava looks like silver.

Kim:  We are nosy here at SOS Aloha - what is your favorite sight, sound, and smell of where you live?

Karen:  Sight:  my back yard. I love sitting on the back porch when it's cool and watching the birds. Sound: Early in the morning I hear the train in the distance. I don't know, there's something peaceful about the whistle blowing. Smell: New mown grass. It seems like everyone in our neighborhood mows their lawn on the same day. I love the smell of new mown grass.

I offer you nene instead of swans!

Kim:  Tell us about WHERE THERE'S A WILL - what inspired?

Karen:  One of my favorite storylines has always been the ugly duckling who turns into a beautiful swan so in Where There’s A Will I played around with that theme. Haley, the heroine, lives her day to day dreary life with no hope of change until she does a week’s worth of work for a coworker that she has a crush on. When he tells her that he owes her dinner, she gathers her courage and accepts.

She spends all day getting ready—then waits, and waits, but he doesn’t show. That night she cries herself to sleep and prays for a miracle. The next morning a handsome nephilim (half angel/half man) rings her doorbell and promises to give her the miracle she’s been waiting for. She promptly slams the door in his face.

The nephilim don't live by the same rules as your average angel and Ryder isn't one to walk away from a challenge. Haley is definitely a challenge.

Haley may be a challenge ... but so is another
heavenly body - Halley's Comet!
Wikipedia

Kim:  What's next for Karen Kelley?

Karen:  Dillon's story will be out in June and I'm currently working on putting together Hunter's story. After that, who knows? I can say one thing, there will always be stories.

Mahalo, Karen, for joining us on Aloha Friday!  To celebrate WHERE THERE'S A WILL, I am giving away a Hawaiian calender - winner's choice of gorgeous landscape or gorgeous men - to one randomly selected commenter.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  What would you wish for yourself if a half angel/half man rang your door - be selfish!   Don't ask for world peace - I'll asked the full angel for that.

2.  This giveaway is open to all readers.

3.  Comments are open through Saturday, September 29, 10 pm in Hawaii.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, September 30.

Mahalo,

Kim in Hawaii

To learn more about Karen and her books, check out her website at authorkarenkelley.com.