RT Recap Day 1 - Aloha to Atlanta

Last Monday, I landed in Atlanta for the annual RT Booklovers' Convention. I spotted several writers on my flight from Baltimore, including Laura Kaye. I sat next to Michelle (an aspiring author) who offered a ride to the hotel with her pick up driver, Siera London. Thank you, Siera, my sister in arms as a Navy Veteran!

After settling into my room, and connecting with other bloggers, we walked over to Poor Calvin's Eatery.  

The Restaurant

Established in November 2012, Poor Calvin’s is a unique oasis in Downtown Atlanta that offers a rare cuisine of Thai fusion with Southern influences. Originally from Vietnam but raised and classically trained in Germany, owner and chef Calvin Phan has brought his perspective of international culinary fusion to the front line of Poor Calvin’s. 

Owner and Chef

Chef Calvin Phan was exposed to the restaurant business at an early age, having come from a family who owned several restaurants, of all calibers, in Europe. After completing his training, Phan worked as a chef in Switzerland for two years before moving to Georgia; where he opened and ran a Thai restaurant in Statesboro for 3 1/2 years before moving up to Atlanta in November to work within a larger scale.

poorcalvins.com

The food was fabulous, the company entertaining, and the waiter could have been a cover model. In fact, I invited him to mingle at the hotel and hand out his business card!  

Thanks to Kim Rocha, Book Obsessed Chicks, for the restaurant recommendation! 

For this week of recaps, I am giving away a sampling of books and swag from RT.  To enter the giveaway,

1. What would you name your restaurant?  What would be your specialty?

I would hire a Hawaiian chef to offer Pan Pacific dishes in A PINEAPPLE IN PARADISE.

2. Comments are open through Monday, May 15, 10 pm in Baltimore. 

3. I'll post the winner on Tuesday, May 16.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore 

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to Beach Blanket Bingo, Tracy Solheim, and SMOLDER

I have started packing for the RT Booklovers Convention in Atlanta, Georgia!  Kim Rocha (Book Obsessed Chicks) and I are hosting Beach Blanket Bingo:

Join Annette Funicello (Kim Rocha) & Frankie Avalon (Kim Lowe) for a special edition of Book Cover Bingo. Expect spontaneous singing, dancing, & flirting with lifeguards inspired by the beloved 60s film. Readers will join sun loving authors at their favorite beaches and compete for the book laden gift baskets ... perfect for the sand and surf!

Wednesday, May 3, 2017 2:45pm – 3:45pm
Location: LL2/Exhibit/Reader Level
Room: Grand Hall West, 3

Kim and I invited 26 authors to join us, including Atlanta local Tracy Solheim:

Tracy Solheim, a military brat who now makes her home near Atlanta, began her writing career as a teenager when she penned a column in her town's local newspaper. Then, it was on to journalism school and a brief stint with NBC sports. After spending nearly two decades writing reports and testimonies for Congress, she delved into fiction. She lives in the suburbs with her husband, two teenagers, a Labrador retriever who thinks she's a cat and a horse named after her first novel. When she's not writing, she enjoys photography, cooking, and reading. A frustrated sports writer, the books she loves to read--and write--feature athletes and the women who capture their hearts. See what's she's up to at www.tracysolheim.com.

Tracy is know for romance set in the sports world and small towns ... but roared onto the scene with a smoking hot romance, SMOLDER:

Former Army Ranger, Sam Gaskill, is starting over in Glacier Creek, Montana - far away from the plains of Texas and the memories of his late wife. Taking charge as the new captain of a squad of smoke jumpers should provide him with enough adrenaline to chase away the ghosts from his past. Until a sexy, green-eyed temptress with a sassy mouth enters the picture…

Laurel Keenan, champion horsewoman, couldn’t wait to escape her hometown. But instead, an ailing mother and an unplanned pregnancy landed the impetuous dreamer right back on her father’s ranch. Laurel has managed to lead a quiet life with her young son—until she sets eyes on the tough guy with the sexy ass.

Sam already failed one woman; he won’t trust his heart with another. And Laurel is determined not to risk her heart—or her son’s—on another thrill-seeker. Can their slow burn lead to a love that lasts?

Glacier National Park

Public Domain (link)

For the month of April, I am giving away a box of books from authors attending RT. To enter the giveaway,

1. Readers - do you have any advice for authors at conventions?

2. Comments are open through Sunday, April 30, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I will be offline from Monday, May 1 - Sunday, May 7.

4. I'll post the winner on Sunday, May 8.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to Weekly Winners, RT Booklovers Convention, and Authors Galore

We have winners from last week's posts - Kim H. and Maureen win a book choice from my convention stash.  

Speaking of conventions, the RT Booklovers' Convention is one month away in Hot Atlanta!  From its website (link),

The RT Booklovers Convention is the book-industry event where you can mix business with pleasure. Attend more than 200 workshops as well as numerous parties and reader events that will keep you informed and in touch while having fun. It's where friends new and old come together to learn about the industry we love and to have fun with authors and fellow book lovers. Fifty percent of conventioneers are first-time RT Convention attendees, and many travel by themselves. However, almost all leave having made new friendships they'll cherish for years to come.

I am participating in four events:

Great Expectations - Virtual Assistants

Looking to build a successful partnership with a Virtual Assistant?

Virtual Assistants Kim & Kim explore what a virtual assistant can offer an author, including social media, newsletters, and blog tours. Kim & Kim will offer a step by step process to find the right assistant so authors can focus on the creative process.

Speaker(s):
Kim Lowe
Kimberly Rocha

Event Date:
Wednesday, May 3, 2017 11am – 12pm
Location: LL3/Conference/Industry Level
Room: Fairlie

Beach Blanket Bingo

Join Annette Funicello (Kim Rocha) & Frankie Avalon (Kim Lowe) for a special edition of Book Cover Bingo. Expect spontaneous singing, dancing, & flirting with lifeguards inspired by the beloved 60s film. Readers will join sun loving authors at their favorite beaches and compete for the book laden gift baskets ... perfect for the sand and surf!

Appearing(s):

Christi Barth
Christi Caldwell
Julia Day
Eileen Dreyer (AKA: Kathleen Korbel)
Elizabeth Essex
Avery Flynn
Maggie Mae Gallagher (AKA: Anya Summers)
Andrew Grey (AKA: Dirk Greyson)
Heidi Hormel
Jessica James
Harper Kincaid
Geri Krotow
Tamra Lassiter
Rae Latte
Ann Lethbridge
Siera London
Janna MacGregor
Stacy McKitrick
Kate Pearce (AKA: Catherine Lloyd)
Ella Quinn
Julie Rowe
Jessica Ruddick (AKA: Jessica Linden)
Dawn Ryder (AKA: Mary Wine)
Joanna Shupe
Tracy Solheim
Teri Anne Stanley
Beth Williamson (AKA: Emma Lang)

Host(s):
Kim Lowe
Kimberly Rocha

Event Date:
Wednesday, May 3, 2017 2:45pm – 3:45pm
Location: LL2/Exhibit/Reader Level
Room: Grand Hall West, 3

SOS-Military Tribute

Our military is the backbone of our country. They pay the price for our freedom through all of their sacrifices. This military tribute is a multi-author-sponsored event to pay a moving tribute to our military and all they have done for our country. This event is open to all. Tables will be decorated by authors representing Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, etc.

Host(s):

KaLyn Cooper
Cristin Harber
Elle James (AKA: Myla Jackson)
Cat Johnson
Kim Lowe
JM Madden
Trish McCallan
Donna Michaels
Megan Mitcham
Caitlyn O'Leary
Ella Quinn
Julie Rowe
Susan Stoker
Natasza Waters
Sabrina York

Event Date:
Thursday, May 4, 2017 12:20pm – 1:20pm
Location: LL1/Ballroom Level
Room: Centennial III

Finding the Balance

Kim Lowe (SOS Aloha Book Reviews) and Kim Rocha (Book Obsessed Chicks Blog) guide authors on finding the right balance between public interaction and private life. We offer tips to effectively launch a book, organically engage readers, and still find time to enjoy the fruits of your success. The results: relaxed authors, increased sales, and satisfied readers.

Speaker(s):
Kim Lowe
Kimberly Rocha

Event Date:
Thursday, May 4, 2017 1:30pm – 2:30pm
Location: LL3/Conference/Industry Level
Room: Lennox

For the month of April, I am giving away a box of books from authors I will meet at RT.  To enter the giveaway,

1.  Leave a comment about your plans for April - anything fun in the works?

2.  Comments are open through Sunday, April 30, 10 pm in Baltimore.  

3.  I will be offline from Monday, May 1 - Sunday, May 7.  

4.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, May 8.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to Weekly Winners, Janna MacGregor, and THE BAD LUCK BRIDE

We have winners at SOS Aloha -  Karen T. and Patty B. win a book choice from my convention stash. 

I keep thinking about the RT Booklovers Convention to get me through the cold winter's night.  RT descends upon Hotlanta in early May ... I am cohosting BEACH BLANKET BINGO with Kim Rocha from Book Obsessed Chicks (link):

Join Annette Funicello (Kim Rocha) & Frankie Avalon (Kim Lowe) for a special edition of Book Cover Bingo. Expect spontaneous singing, dancing, & flirting with lifeguards inspired by the beloved 60s film. Readers will join sun loving authors at their favorite beaches and compete for the book laden gift baskets ... perfect for the sand and surf!

I am looking forward to meeting debut Historical Romance author Janna MacGregor:

Janna MacGregor was born and raised in the bootheel of Missouri. She credits her darling mom for introducing her to the happily-ever-after world of romance novels. Janna writes stories where compelling and powerful heroines meet and fall in love with their equally matched heroes. She is the mother of triplets and lives in Kansas City with her very own dashing rogue, and two smug, but not surprisingly, perfect pugs. She loves to hear from readers.

Visit her at JannaMacGregor.com.
Twitter: @JannaMacGregor
Facebook: Janna MacGregor
Sign up for her newsletter at JannaMacGregor.com.

Janna's debut romance, THE BAD LUCK BRIDE, is coming May 2 - one day before BEACH BLANKET BINGO:

IS MARRIAGE A BLESSING OR A CURSE?
A man of honor, Alexander Hallworth, Marquess of Pembrooke, will not rest until he exacts revenge on the man who destroyed his family. Just one more piece must fall into place for him to succeed he needs to convince his enemy's fiancee, the tragically beautiful Lady Claire Cavensham, to marry him instead.

Lady Claire's curse has always left her one misstep away from social ruin her past three engagements have gone awry, and now her fourth is headed in the same direction. . .until Alex, a man she barely even knows, shocks the ton and Claire by announcing their engagement. What begins as a sham turns into something deeper, and more passionate, than either Claire or Alex could have imagined. But when their secrets are revealed, will the truth behind their union scandalize them both or is their love strong enough to break the curse and lead them toward their happily ever after?

Wilton House - Ancestral home for the Earl of Pembrooke
Image by Mike Serle (link)

I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about luck - do you have a lucky charm?  I have Lucky the cat!

2. Comments are open through Sunday, February 19, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Monday, February 20.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Aloha to the RT Booklovers Convention, Beach Blanket Bingo, and Geri Krotow

The countdown begins for the RT Booklovers Convention in Atlanta (link). I  am participating in four events (link), including cohosting BEACH BLANKET BINGO with Kimberly Rocha (link):

Join Annette Funicello (Kim Rocha) & Frankie Avalon (Kim Lowe) for a special edition of Book Cover Bingo. Expect spontaneous singing, dancing, & flirting with lifeguards inspired by the beloved 60s film. Readers will join sun loving authors at their favorite beaches and compete for the book laden gift baskets ... perfect for the sand and surf!

Alison Aimes, Christi Caldwell, Julia Day, Eileen Dreyer (AKA: Kathleen Korbel), Elizabeth Essex, Avery Flynn, Maggie Mae Gallagher (AKA: Anya Summers), Andrew Grey (AKA: Dirk Greyson), Sharon Hamilton, Heidi Hormel, Jessica James, Harper Kincaid, Geri Krotow, Tamra Lassiter, Ann Lethbridge, Siera London, Kim Lowe, Janna MacGregor, Stacy McKitrick, Kate Pearce (AKA: Catherine Lloyd), Ella Quinn, Kimberly Rocha, Julie Rowe, Tracy Solheim

I personally invited each author to participate ... Geri Krotow will bring her smile!  From her website (link),

Extended Twitter Version

A U.S. Naval Academy graduate and former Naval Intelligence Officer, Geri left her Naval career to pursue a writing career. She has travelled the world, living in such far-flung places as Whidbey Island, Washington State and Moscow, Russia. Geri enjoys creating love stories that stand the test of time, and with settings that she has personally experienced. She's lived it, now she writes it!

Bio told over cookies and coffee

Geri loves to write and will never have enough years to translate onto paper the characters and stories that persistently knock on her mind’s door. When not writing Geri loves to knit and bake. Cookie baking is a favorite, but knitting often replaces the baking as yarn doesn’t add the dimensions to her figure that the cookies tend to. Walking and yoga are other passions, as well as birds, dogs, and foreign languages.

I am reading (and enjoying) Geri's latest release, HER SECRET CHRISTMAS AGENT (Silver Valley P.D., Book 3):

Can a former marine and an undercover cop crack a deadly Christmas case?
When a cult threatens the high school where he teaches, ex-marine Mitch Everlock is on the case. His priority: protecting his students. His world is rocked when one of his pupils, Nika Pasczenko, reveals she's an undercover police officer! But can the agent with secrets of his own trust his partner-in-crime?

The last thing Nika expected on this investigation was meeting a sexy veteran who makes her heart light up like a Christmas tree. But with both their lives at risk, and the students in danger, neither of them can afford the slightest distraction. Especially one as big as falling in love just as a killer closes in…

More book in the series ...

Stay tuned for my review! I am giving away a book choice from my convention stash to one randomly selected commenter. To enter the giveaway,

1. Leave a comment about your favorite kind of coffee and/or cookie.  I don't drink coffee but I would enjoy a hot chocolate with chocolate chip oatmeal cookie with Geri anytime.

2. Comments are open through Sunday, January 8, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Monday, January 9.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Image and recipe from Not Just Cookies (link)

My workshop at RWA - How to Promote Your Book (and Have a Life)

I mistakenly published this post earlier in the week while I am away in Florida.  I am republishing it for today, it's designated day.

I was honored to present a workshop with Kim Rocha during the 35th Annual RWA Conference - How to Promote Your Book (and Have a Life).

Bloggers are called the online gatekeepers to readers. Two book bloggers, Kimberly Rocha and Kim Lowe, offer their perspective on what works (and what flops) in promoting romance books and author brands. We’ve posted reviews and we’ve hosted blog tours. We’ve hopped over to other blogs for cross promotion. We’ve participated in launch parties on Facebook and character chats on Twitter. We’ve seen it all – the good, the bad, and the ugly – on social media. 

We have also attended industry events – RWA National Conference, NJRW Conference, Barbara Vey’s Readers Luncheon, and the RT Booklovers Convention. We’ve attended panel discussions about marketing, only to find that authors miss the main ingredient – what readers want. We know what readers want because we are readers. We interact with readers every day as “trusted advisors” through our blogs.

We created a Power Point presentation to highlight the indispensible aspects of promotion – author website, social media, and face-to-face interaction. We will use the presentation to guide the discussion, giving us the flexibility to engage in a lively discussion and answer any questions from authors.

So what did we say?  

Write the book that will entertain readers, offer an escape, and make them come back for more.

Everything else is icing on the cake.

We also offered tidbits about book reviews, blog tours, social media, and reader interaction.  I'll share these tidbits in September.

I thank Kim Rocha for inspiring me to pitch this workshop.  I also thank my readers for offering their feedback every time I ask.  

I am giving away my final copy of PREMIERE - A COLLECTION OF ROMANTIC TALES FROM RWA:

From Romance Writers of America® comes a never-before-published collection of tales that showcases the breadth and complexity of the world's most popular genre of fiction!

New York Times bestselling authors Cindy Gerard and Allison Brennan bring the thrills in their tales of romantic suspense.

New York Times bestselling authors Sabrina Jeffries and Courtney Milan take you on a trip back in time with lush stories of historical romance.

New York Times bestselling authors Vicki Lewis Thompson and Joan Johnston show the wonder of contemporary romance, while New York Times bestselling authors Monica Murphy and Laura Kaye's New Adult romances delve into the evolving Millennial perspective.

And editor and #1 New York Times bestselling author Sylvia Day's tale of angels and sizzling desire takes readers to the edge with paranormal romance.

From the first love of Young Adult romance to tales of second chances, LGBT romance to the realms of the supernatural, contemporary to historical, suspense to inspirational, the genre of romance has a story for every reader and this blockbuster inaugural collection from Romance Writers of America showcases it all!

Plus tales from:
Lila Bell
T. L Costa
Diane Kelly
Amber Lin
Katy Regnery
Erica Ridley
Regina Scott
Harper St. George
Lex Valentine

To enter the giveaway,

1.  If you were the cover model on PREMIERE, what type of chocolate would you be eating?  

I'm a fan of Mauna Loa chocolate covered macadamia nuts!

2.  Comments are open through Saturday, August 22, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3.  I'll post the winner on Sunday, August 23.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore

Aloha Spirit in Charm City