Canned Laughter with Renee Bernard

Well, here's something I haven't done before.

Click the button below to listen to a 15 minute interview
with Renee Bernard hosted by Circle of Seven Productions on blogtalkradio.com.

Her One Desire Book Trailer

Happy Fall ya'll!

A writer's life is never dull. Not only do we have to write the book, we also have to promote it. Having a graphic design background works to my benefit. You may or may not know what is involved in creating a book trailer. Some are simple, some are not. I created a book trailer for HER ONE DESIRE and it only took me 60 hours. YIKES! Think of the time lost writing. ;-)

This particular book trailer is in a little competition. If you would like to check out the entries click here: http://thenewcoveytrailerawards.blogspot.com/

The voting closes at the end of November.


REVIEWS; CONTEST

Huzzah!
Kimberly
_____________________________
HER ONE DESIRE ~ ON SALE NOW!
HIGHLAND DRAGON ~ October 2009/Kensington
www.kimberlykillion.com

'Tis All Hallows Eve...

Did you know Halloween got its origins from the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain?

Samhain is celebrated at the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture. Samhain is regarded as the "Celtic New Year." During the festival the ancient Celtic pagans took stock of supplies and slaughtered livestock for the winter. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, now known as Halloween, the boundary between the living and the dead became very thin, and the dead caused problems for the living through plague or damaged crops. The festivals would frequently involve bonfires, into which bones of slaughtered livestock were cast to ward off evil spirits. Costumes and masks were also worn at the festivals in an attempt to mimic the evil spirits or placate them.

So if you are traveling this eve, be wary of what, or who, might be following...

Happy Halloween!
Kimberly

Moonlight & Magnolias

I'm headed out the door for Atlanta to the Moonlight & Magnolias Writers Conference. If you live in the area, there will be a public book signing at the Hilton Atlanta Northeast, Norcross, GA 30092.
The following authors will be signing:
Keynote Speaker: Teresa Medeiros
Featured Author: Tanya Michna (aka Tanya Michaels)
Suzanne Adair
Ana Aragon
Petrina Aubol
Christina Barber
Stephanie Bond
Jacquelyn Cook
Marcia Colette
Susan Crandall
Alyssa Day
Jacquie D'Alessandro
Anna DeStefano
Cynthia Eden
Debby Giusti
Carmen Green
Raven Hart
Kimberly Killion
Cindy Kirk
Marianne LaCroix
Dana Lyons
Susan Lyons
Lynne Marshall
Susan May
Jess Michaels
Trish Milburn
Julie Miller
Joyce Moore
Jenna Petersen
L.W. Rogers
Loretta Rogers
Emilie Rose
Jan Scarbrough
Haywood Smith
Jennifer St. Giles
Gillian Summers
Missy Tippens
Karen White
CL Wilson

Hope to see you there...
~Kimberly

For more info:http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3Lmdlb3JnaWFyb21hbmNld3JpdGVycy5vcmcvTU1Db25mLzIwMDgvTU0wOEhvbWUucGhw

What if?

Have you ever played the 'What if?' game? I have and do everytime I'm brainstorming a new book, which is where I'm at now...

My debut book, HER ONE DESIRE, which came out in July from Kensington/Zebra books, is the story of a Scottish spy and his quest to protect the executioner’s daughter.

Those last two words were the only words I needed to sell that book: executioner’s daughter. Where did I get the idea, you ask?...

While in the midst of brainstorming ideas for my next book, I found myself searching for inspiration. I looked in the mirror and thought if I keep staring I would be able to find something in my brain to trigger an idea. Unfortunately, my reflection hollered, “What the hell are you looking at?”

I didn’t find what I was looking for there so I went outside and looked at the fields of corn, the gravel driveway, a blade of grass. Nothin’. So I looked up and said, “Give me an idea, pleeeeease.”

Yes, I was asking for the supreme being of all creation to take time out of His busy day and give me an idea for my next book. That was selfish when you think about it. I mean, He has more important things to do, right? So, I thought long and hard and what did I come up with? Lunch. Yep. Lunch. So I fixed myself a little southern fired something and flipped on the TV. A documentary was on about the lives and families of the executioner. It was really quite fascinating. So then I started playing that game…you know the one…the ‘What if?’ game.

What if I wrote a story about the executioner? Oh, he started out as my villain, then I mixed it up a little and he became the hero. It still wasn’t right, so I said the word’s that practically wrote HER ONE DESIRE for itself…What if the heroine was the executioner’s daughter. And there is was. An idea was born.

You know how long it takes the Road Runner to sneak up on Wile E. Coyote? Well, that’s how long it took me to google a few keywords: executioner, occupation, medieval, torture … This went on and on, and before I knew it I had educated myself on every form of torture between hung, drawn, and quartered to peine forte et dure (Pressing to death)

Curiosity leads me to ask, ‘What if?’ So, as I sit here trying to develop my next story idea, I’m also curious to know how other writers develop ideas. Do you play the ‘What if?’ game? Do you get on your knees and pray for inspiration? Does whiskey help? Please, do tell…

The Kindle

For those of you e-reader junkies...I'm pleased to announce Her One Desire is now available on the Kindle at Amazon. I saw one of these e-readers (the sony) a few weeks back and was surprised how much the actual reading surface looked like a book. I'm not certain if the surface would be as legible on the beach, but nonetheless, it is a great start.
Have a great hump day!

Fresh Fiction Review of HER ONE DESIRE

HER ONE DESIRE is a luscious historical romance with incredible characters and a great story overall. If you like sexy, to die for heroes, Kimberly Killion has written the ultimate one with Broderick. His devotion to his friends, family and that of Lizabeth is very sweet. Poor Lizabeth is a woman with the weight of the world on her shoulders during a time where a lady like herself has no options. She is very brave, loving and filled with such optimism. And don't be surprised if you find yourself laughing at the initial interactions both she and Broderick have. Their bantering back and forth is worth the read alone.

Lord Hollister is a nasty piece of work who will stop at nothing to get what he wants. And there are some great secondary characters that also breathe life into this story. Kimberly Killion also has a great knack for combining historical reality with fiction. For a romance that has thrills and some wonderful love scenes between Broderick and Lizabeth, HER ONE DESIRE is a great historical romance that you will not want to miss.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL REVIEW...

http://www.kimberlykillion.com/

A wee bit of fan mail…

A writer knows she's having a good day when a reader reaches out to her and yells, "I love your book!"
I’m astounded by the response I’m getting from reviewers as well as readers. So today, instead of throwing another review your way, I’d like to share a few bits from the letters I’ve received from avid romance readers.
____________________________________________

"I've also always been fascinated by the Tower of London and I was totally caught up in your story about the executioner's daughter. What an imaginative angle and a wonderful love story...*sigh*. Thank you for the awesome read. It brought tears to my eyes at the most unexpected moments. I totally recommended it to one of my writing buddies who says she'll read anything with a hot man and a kilt on the cover."
____________________________________________

"I just finished your book, Her One Desire, and had to write to tell you how much I enjoyed it. Broc is now at the top of my "Favorite Hero" list. :) Her One Desire is exactly the kind of book I enjoy the most. The story was fast paced, suspenseful, and full of wonderful historical details that didn’t overpower the love story. I really liked how you wrote Lizzy. She was intelligent, courageous and very likable. I can’t wait until Highland Dragon is released. Like Her One Desire, it will have a permanent spot on my keeper shelf."
____________________________________________

"Just wanted to let you know that I’m right in the middle of Her One Desire, work has kept me so busy I haven’t been able to finish it yet… but one of [my friends] called me to tell me that it was one of the best books she’s read all year. So of course we spent 30 minutes talking about why we loved it, and I had to stop the conversation short because I’m not done with it yet!"
____________________________________________

“I just wanted to drop you a note to tell you how much I am absolutely loving HER ONE DESIRE. I started it yesterday and was up until 4am because I couldn't put it down. Broc and Lizzy are fantastic together and he is a hero, one to die for.

While Broc is an amazing hero and has all the qualities in a historical that I look for in a hero; stronger, dependable, honorable and willing to die for the woman he loves it is Lizzy that is the book. Her strength and her courage and as with my frustration with historicals grows because they've become 'too modern' and my biggest annoyance is the heroine has become GI Jane in a corset, resembling a 21st century heroine rather than true to her time - I loved Lizzy! She shows that a historical heroine's character doesn't have to be drastically changed to placate today's readers who get offended by the past. She is totally kicking ass with her quite determination and her newfound strength and I'm not even done with the book yet.

You did a fabulous job with Lizzy - I'm almost at the end and she is so lovely and she's simply one of the best heroines I've read in a long time.

I absolutely adore this book!”
____________________________________________

www.kimberlykillion.com

Book Signing in the St. Louis Area

5555 St. Louis Mills Blvd.
Hazelwood, MO 63042
314-227-5555

TIME: 2:00 - 4:00 pm

Stop by, if you're out and about the St. Louis area.

Off to San Francisco

This time tomorrow I will be signing Her One Desire at the Romance Writers of America Literacy signing to help the fight against illiteracy. I am packed and re-packed and the alarm is set for 3:30 am. I am giddy with excitement as this will be my first BIG signing. I am sitting next to Sherrilyn Kenyon and that alone is enough to make a person crazy excited.
Wish me luck, and hopefully I might even sell a few books. :)

Check my photo gallery in a few days as I will have pictures posted.

I'm being 'pimped' at romancenovel.tv!
Join me on Wednesday, July 23rd where I will be discussing "FEARS" and giving away an autographed copy of HER ONE DESIRE.

* * * * * * * * * *

What is your one desire?

Tell me at SingleTitles.com and win one of 5 copies of HER ONE DESIRE. To enter this contest, simply leave a comment regarding YOUR ONE DESIRE. Five winners will be chosen randomly.
The contest runs from July 21 to July 31 so enter today. Please only one entry per person.

* * * * * * * * * *

Sign up now for my August contest where I will be giving away a
“Summer Reading Pack”

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

Contest, blogs, free books, oh my...

I’m so pleased about the response I'm receiving from readers regarding my medieval historical, HER ONE DESIRE. With its release only weeks behind me, I'm shouting about it to the world. :)

Because the heroine in this book is the daughter of the Lord High Executioner, I’m talking about torture and execution over at UnusualHistoricals.blogspot.com/ today. I’m giving away a couple autographed copies so stop on by.

Also, sign up now for my August CONTEST where I will be giving away a “Summer Reading Pack” that will include the following autographed books with still more to come...
HER ONE DESIRE by Kimberly Killion
LOST IN YOU by Alix Rickloff
A RAKE'S GUIDE TO PLEASURE by Victoria Dahl
ONE REAL MAN by Janette Kenny

Check out my website for the details: www.kimberlykillion.com

Can you see me smiling from there?

IT’S RELEASE DAY!!!!

HER ONE DESIRE has made its debut into the world.
I feel like a kid in a candy shop…no wait…make that a divorcee in a strip club. ;c)

If you get a chance, check out my website to get a peek of my debut book, HER ONE DESIRE, out today from Zebra books.

BLURB: Astride a stolen horse, encircled by the shackled arms of Broderick Maxwell, a Scottish spy escaping certain death in the Tower of London, Lizbeth Ives rides to the north, hidden by the merciful darkness. By stealth and by cunning, the daughter of the Lord High Executioner has undone her father’s cruel work, compelled to save the innocent man with her. There is no turning back—they are bound as one in his iron chains. Consumed by mortal fear, driven by passion, they disappear into the night…

A single raven follows them. Is it an omen? Or only the first of those who would capture them? They must ride on. If captured, they will face death together. But if they reach Scotland, he will claim her for his own…forever.

EXCERPT; BOOK TRAILER; REVIEWS; CONTEST

Hope you have time to visit!

Guess what came in the mail???

My books! Unless you are an author and you have lived this experience, no one can possibly know the complete giddiness I felt when I held my first book for the first time. It really was like giving birth. I was surprised to see a quote on the book from Shannon McKenna. "Intense and beautiful" is how she described HER ONE DESIRE.
So it seems I am ready to give away some autographed books. If you haven't signed up for my contest, please do so before Tuesday. http://kimberlykillion.com/contests.asp
Or find me on my 'blog tour'. Here's where I will be:
JULY 1st ~ Romance Writers Revenge
Join me and the grog-warmed crew of a pirate ship for a fun swashbuckling interview.
JULY 3rd~ Romance Vagabonds
TOPIC: Getting published feels like getting pregnant after a one-night stand
JULY 8th ~ Fresh Fiction
TOPIC: Curse it! Let’s talk about expletives
JULY 13th ~ Unusual Historicals
TOPIC: Torture &Execution
JULY 14th ~ To Be ReadPASIC blog
JULY 15th–17th ~ History Hoydens
JULY 21st ~ Melissa Schroeder
JULY 23rd ~ Romance Novel TV
JULY 26th ~ Tote Bags n' Blogs

Her One Desire receives Castle Keeper Award

With my debut book's release date just days away, I am overwhelmed with the response I am receiving from reviewers. Laurel Letherby gave Her One Desire the highest honor at TheMysticCastle.com

REVIEW:
Her One Desire, by debut author Kimberly Killion, is what I’ve been looking for in a medieval novel for a long time. Is it steamy and sensual; the fact that they are both engaging and intelligent characters enhances the passion between Broderick and Lizbeth. The secondary characters were also enlightening and oftentimes provided humorous and eye-opening statements that made for a witty trek into Scotland amidst the danger and betrayal surrounding them.

I like the fact that Kimberly Killion took a mysterious piece of actual history and wrote a powerful plot while not overpowering the love story or characters with facts and data...Her One Desire went automatically on my keeper shelf, it’s a novel I’m sure every Medieval romance fan will devour and cherish for years to come. I also hope the author plans to continue writing about these characters and time period, as I miss them already.

—Laurel Letherby, The Mystic Castle

READ THE FULL REVIEW...

Why Women Live Longer than Men

This was just too witty to keep to myself.
Enjoy!

Romantic Times magazine gives HER ONE DESIRE 4 STARS.

HER ONE DESIRE
by Kimberly Killion

RT Rating: 4 stars

Category: HISTORICAL

Setting: Medieval England

Publisher: Zebra

Published: July 2008

REVIEW:

The War of the Roses provides a fascinating backdrop for this well-crafted romance. The appeal of Killion's characters comes from their honor, intelligence and humanity. As they play out their story within the confines of the mores and events of the era, they bring history to life and make it accessible.

SUMMARY:

Daughter of the Lord High Executioner, Lady Lizbeth Ives lives in the Tower among those condemned to die. She is safe until she uncovers a treasonous plot. She makes her escape from the Tower with Scots prisoner Broc Maxwell; Lizzy's kind heart cannot let him die. Determined to locate the Duke of Gloucester, Lizzy allows Broc to lead her north as their enemies follow. But Broc has little faith in the duke and brings Lizzy to safety in Scotland. On the way they must evade the traitor and ponder what will happen to the little princes and the king before they can claim the love that has grown between them. (Zebra, Jul., 380 pp., $3.99) HOT

—Kathe Robin

5/5 Stars - Sensually Desirable

~ Beverly Romance Books

"Sensually Desirable...The story is enticing and grips the reader from the first all the way to the end with secrets, passion and action making this book difficult to put down...

Kimberly Killion is a talented debut author to look forward to for many more exciting in-depth stories. She has a keen talent for holding the reader to the story and creating interesting characters of depth, mystery and action like a writer who has written for years.

This is a debut writer that has already written a keeper with this debut!..."

—Beverly, Beverly Romance Books

READ THE FULL REVIEW...

Zebra Authors - A Collection of First Chapters

I am pleased to be a part of the following collection of first chapters from some of the hottest authors in the Zebra line. You won't see these books until summer and fall, but here's a sample to wet your taste buds.

Authors included in this sampler :

Kimberly Killion
Jackie Ivie
Victoria Dahl
Delilah Marvelle

4.5 ribbons from Romance Junkies

Check out my latest review...

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Lizbeth Ives's last resort for safety went out with her father when Laird Broderick Maxwell struck down Osborn Ives, Lord High Executioner of the infamous London Tower, in his bid for freedom. What she did not expect is that the prisoner, just recently liberated from her father's torture session will be her only salvation from the licentious and murdering attention of Lord Hollister, King Edward IV's chief warder.

However, the determined Broc proves to be more than just her savior. As they escape from perilous England to the wilds of Scotland, Lizzy finds herself irresistibly drawn towards this brave, tempting, son of Scotland, just as Broc finds himself falling for the exotic charms of the petite red head.

While battling with enemies and family alike, will Broc survive deceitful conspiracies and unforeseen dangers to give this independent angel of fire, HER ONE DESIRE?

Kimberly Killion skillfully draws readers into her world of political upheaval during the end of the fifteenth century by weaving a tapestry of a love between two extraordinary individuals whose story is enriched with the presence of some very intriguing characters. One can only wonder at what else she has in store for us, and if this is to become the very captivating start of an engrossing series.

—J.T., Romance Junkies Reviewer