This Cowboy's a Keeper!

Author Kimberly Krey ~ Writing Romance that's Clean without Losing the Steam It's Release Day!


New Release by Kimberly Krey, This Cowboy's a Keeper, is on sale now! Payton's living like a Kardashian, and Luke's set in his country ways. See what happens when their worlds collide!

So sometimes, as authors, our personal experiences get fused into the pages of our fiction. And in a way, I saw that happening with This Cowboy's a Keeper. Payton Keller feels like she's the only glue keeping her family structure together, and the weight of those crumbling pieces becomes too much to bear. But in letting go, Payton discovers something both shocking and refreshing: she was never in control in the first place. (Hallelujah!) And this is when she's really set free. Free enough to dive into the romance waters with the seriously handsome Luke Branson. I love the way Payton is able to discover life in a different setting. Not just the difference between busy Hollywood and laid-back Montana living, but also the contrast of expectations, support, and unconditional love.

I really hope you'll enjoy this fun, cowboy romance! Yee-haw!

~Kimberly Krey

Keeping up with the Kellers is no easy feat, but each family member must play their part. So when her brother Jason trades his Stanford scholarship for a job as a measly ranch hand, Payton Keller must do what’s best for her high-profile Hollywood family. Just before leaving The Golden State, Payton receives undeniable evidence that her also famous fiancé is cheating, leaving her with two messes to clean up. Distraught, Payton forces her failing love to the back burner and takes the flight to Montana. There, she insists that the ranch owner—some too-handsome-for-his-own-good cowboy who doesn’t even have the decency to get fully clothed before answering a door—fire her brother. The stubborn brute tells Payton to butt out and mind her own business. Something she has no intention of doing.

Luke Branson is glad he hired Jason Keller despite his reservations. The kid is a hard worker, and nothing like the spoiled, entitled teen the tabloids make him out to be. But when Jason’s glamor-girl sister shows up one night making demands, regret finally surfaces. Beauty might get Payton far in her walk of fame, but it would do her no good here. Still, Luke doesn’t have the heart to send her packing in the dead of night, so he allows her to stay hoping she and her brother can make amends. What Luke doesn’t expect is the magnetic connection he feels toward her.

After officially breaking things off with her cheating fiancé, Payton gives into a weak moment and explores the chemistry she feels with Luke. She’s shocked to find the connection is better than anything she’s known. The country lifestyle, free of Hollywood demands, is too. But has Payton’s journey to save her brother led her to a life she’s meant to live, or merely given her a taste of something she’ll never have?

2.99 or FREE in KU



Click here to complete the Series!

Once Hitched Twice Shy
by Kimberly Krey
Mia Reynolds is the host of popular Vlog show, Try My Life, where she tries other folks’ jobs while the camera rolls. So far, each episode has been filmed in Oregon, yet when Mia gets an invitation from her Granddad to try life on his ranch in Montana, she’s ready for roping, riding, and even shoveling piles of muck. What Mia isn’t prepared for is losing her heart to the brooding ranch hand, Hunter Coleman.

Hunter lost big in love when his ex left him for her Hollywood dreams. When Mia Reynolds spends a week on the ranch to film her hit online show, Hunter is sure she’s just another version of his self-centered ex. But all too soon he sees new sides of the fun-loving woman that urge him to toss his wounded heart to the wind and give love another try.

Once the sparks start to fly, Mia's forced to make a difficult choice, one that gives Hunter a bad case of Déjà vu. When the fear of losing another woman to the spotlight becomes too much, Hunter might have to cut his losses before he gets in too deep. The trouble is, he's already in over his head.

2.99 or FREE in KU >>

How to Catch a Cowboy in 10 Days by Kimberly Krey

There’s no denying Ann Simpson is passive, so when she’s challenged to read a book that could change her life, she eagerly accepts. If she writes a winning article about her transformation, it could earn her a writing slot with Walquest Weekly, taking her career to the next level. And who knows—maybe it could empower her to step out of her romance novels and into her own happily ever after.

Ann packs her bags and her book and heads to Montana where she hopes to reinvent herself. Caught off guard by the cowboy of her dreams, Trey Richardson, Ann falls hard and fast. But does Trey love the real Ann, or the book-made woman she’s invented for the article?

Trey believes his life is complete with a ranch to run, horses to ride, and fresh country air to fill his lungs; but, when Ann steps into the picture, bachelorhood starts to lose its appeal. Yet just as his love for Ann begins to grow, Trey finds out Ann is writing an article about their time together, causing him to question her motives, along with his heart.

2.99 or FREE in KU >>

Copyright © 2018 Kimberly Krey Author, All rights reserved.

A themed book tour through Prism Book Tours.

The Sweet Montana Bride Series by Kimberly Krey is complete at last! Reese’s Cowboy Kiss is available now on kindle or paperback, and to celebrate we’re throwing a BOOK TOUR! Oh, and did we mention the giveaway? $100 Amazon gift card goes to the lucky winner!

Come along for the ride!

July 21 - Launch

July 22 - Kelly P's Blog & Mary Terrani.com
July 23 - I Am A Reader
July 24 - Christy's Cozy Corners
July 25 - Musings of Immortals, Letters from Annie (Douglass) Lima, 
& The Wonderings of One Person
July 27 - Wishful Endings
July 28 - Book-Marks the Spot
July 29 - Undercover Book Reviews & My Devotional Thoughts
July 30 - The Written Adventure & Sarah's StoryLines
July 31 - Katie's Clean Book Collection & Southern Chelle
August 1 - Bookworm Lisa & Reviews By Molly 
August 3 - Grand Finale

Reese's Cowboy Kiss
(Sweet Montana Bride #1)
by Kimberly Krey
Adult Romance
Paperback, 307 Pages
May 13th 2014 by Candle House Publishing

Texan pageant winner, Reese Taylor, has a former classmate who wants her dead. Now she must leave her friends and family to enter a protection program on Emerson Ranch. A group of good-looking cowboys awaits her, but Reese has her eye on Blake Emerson, the one man too busy with the ranch to give her a chance.

Blake Emerson has no time to go lookin’ for love. He’s got a ranch to run, positions to fill, and an ache in his heart from love gone wrong. So when he agrees to harbor a witness to help on the ranch, Blake assumes his first two problems are solved. But he never dreamed his new guest would be a woman. One he was destined to lose his heart to.

With sparks burning hot and danger around the bend, one question lingers in his mind: Has he only added to his list of troubles, or has Blake just found the woman of his dreams?

*While this book is considered clean romance, it contains passionate kissing and a few mild curse words.*

Amazon - Barnes & Noble

Other Books in the Sweet Montana Bride Series:

 

Amazon                       Amazon

Barnes & Noble           Barnes & Noble

More About the Sweet Montana Bride Series

The Emerson Brothers 

Some of you have already read Cassie and Shane’s love story. Some have read Jade and Gavin’s tale too. Now for the first and final book of the series. That’s right – first chronologically, and final in order of release. In Reese’s Cowboy Kiss you’ll find out just how Reese and Blake’s romance begins. From that first, tender kiss to the conflict that threatens to tear them apart, their story is filled with passion, romance, and action too.

Book Number One?

You might notice that this book is marked as the first in the series. Yep; I decided to put things in their proper order once and for all. A huge thanks goes to those of you who have been with me from the beginning; for not minding the quirky order of things. Thank heavens for you! Good luck in the giveaway, my friends. And Happy romance reading to you all!

About Kimberly Krey

I'm a writer of contemporary clean romance, a lover of home, family, & friends, & the ultimate hater of laundry.

A few of my favorite things: Diet Coke, Cafe Rio, and novels by Marcia Lynn McClure.

I do not go anywhere without: SoftLips Chapstick and Altoids Smalls.

Website - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads

Tour-Wide Giveaway

- $100 Amazon Gift Card
- Open Internationally
- Ends August 10th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Last Day for .99 Boxed Set!

Breathtaking: Seven Bestselling Novels of Love and Suspense

$.99 sale ends Thursday, April 10th. 

Consider this a last call, my friends! Today is the final discounted day for Breathtaking. I am honored to have had the privilege of being listed among these fine authors, and am thrilled that we were able to offer the set for such a steal. If you haven't grabbed yours yet, do it now before the price goes up. A big thanks to all those who've already purchased the set; hope you're enjoying the reads! Book blurbs for each book are listed below. Have a great weekend!   

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Kobo * Smashwords * iTunes

Breathtaking Book Trailer

Unbelievable by Sherry Gammon
Deliah Dreser's in town to take care of family business. They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, but there's more to Lilah than meets the eye. Cole's in danger of losing his heart when this firestorm throws sparks his way. Is she simply playing him for the fool in order to exact revenge for her brother's murders?
Bestselling author Sherry Gammon's reviewers exclaim; "She has a gift for touching her readers with beautiful, gripping stories that you can’t put down."




Home Before Dark by Christy Barritt
Nothing good ever happens after dark. Those were the words country singer Daleigh McDermott’s father always repeated.
Now her father is dead, and Daleigh finds a hidden journal hinting that his death was no accident. Small town mechanic Ryan Shields is the only one who seems to believe Daleigh. As the two work to unravel the mystery, it becomes obvious that someone wants them dead. They must rely on each other—and on God—if they hope to make it home before the darkness swallows them whole.
Award-Winning Suspense Novelist and Bestselling Amazon Author, touted as "scary, funny, passionate, and quirky" by USA Today.

Baggage Claim by Amanda Tru
Rachel Saunders is looking forward to her all-expense paid weekend trip to New York. But, when her luggage is lost and she is accosted by an infuriating Homeland Security agent, events take a dangerous turn.
Amanda Tru, Bestselling Amazon Author of Romance and Suspense. Discover the author who, as an Amazon reviewer raves, “continues to impress me and dominate my time with a book I can’t put down even after it’s ended.”


Cassie's Cowboy Crave by Kimberly Krey
In a moment of weakness, Shane steals a kiss.
In return, Cassie steals his heart…
When Cassie is forced to join the witness protection program, she fears her life is over… but then she meets Shane Emerson — the hunky cowboy posing as her husband. Will this sham marriage turn into the real thing, or will a hidden danger put it all at risk?
Kimberly Krey writes romance that’s clean without losing the steam. What’s Beyond Forks calls this Best-selling Western Romance author “the master of romantic tension.”



A Perfect Fit by Heather Tullis
Cami DiCarlo is not happy when her father forces her into heading up guest services at his newest five-star hotel and unveils the existence of four half-sisters at the same time, insisting they live together while they launch the new resort.
When she meets Vince, the sweet, sexy landscaper her father would never have approved of, Cami can’t say no. If only she could be sure she is on the right track—and that they will be able to stop the person who is trying to destroy everything.

You Belong with Me by Shannon Guymon 
Layla Kendall is a burned out social worker one step away from a major depression. When she and her sisters inherit their grandmother's bakery, she doesn't know if she can trust her good fortune or not. But the chance to be with her sisters and get away from the heartache and pain she's faced day in and day out is a chance she's going to take. With Layla's new life, come new friendships, including Michael Bender, a single dad. She doesn't trust men but Michael's little girl grabs her by the heart and won't let go.
Shannon Guymon is an Amazon Bestselling Author of lighthearted and clean romance who according to her many fans, has the ability to paint pictures of her characters so real that readers would know them if they saw them walking down the street.

Blog This by Cami Checketts
Devastated by the loss of her brother, Natasha Senecot exposes the dangers of Matthew Chrysler's violent video games, bankrupting and humiliating him. Chrysler sends a hit man after her. In a race against time, can Natasha expose Chrysler before his assassin murders her family and shatters her world?
Bestselling author Cami Checketts has been touted as, "A genius! She writes about topics that aren't widely discussed, and she does such a brilliant job of crafting these things into wonderful stories that touch your heart and remain with you for days afterwards."

Evie's Knight

Can I get a Hallelujah?

My debut novel, Evie's Knight, is on Amazon at last! 

 

It took sweat, tears, and years, but it's finally here!

I want to thank all you wonderful writer/reader friends for your support in this journey! And a big thanks to all you gals posting about it today as well.

 

Cover, blurb, and links are below. Don't be shy; give 'em a click.

 

 In Evie's Knight, love doesn't simply hurt...

It kills.

EVIE always thought college life would be magical, but so far it's not what she hoped for. Her best friend has gone wild, her love life is void, and she misses her mom more than ever. But life for Evie is about to change. CALVIN KNIGHT, the very object of her fascination, is about to fall madly in love with her. Just one problem: Their love conjures a murderous woman from beyond the grave who wants Evie dead. The same demon who has haunted the Knight men for over four generations.

Soon Calvin is forced to choose: Set Evie free and hope to evade the wrath of The Raven-haired Ghost, or use his newly gifted strengths to fight against her. If he chooses to fight and wins, Calvin will free the Knight men of this demonic witch. If he loses, Evie will become her next victim.

Amazon: $2.99 for ebook

              $10.99 for paperback

 

 

I've seen many of you get to this place yourselves. Did you lose your appetite at this point in the game? Check your numbers obsessively? Eat chocolate well into your sleep? Let me know so I can feel normal (even if I'm nowhere near it). And if your novel(s) is available now, post the link(s) below so we can all take a look!

The Day I Almost Quit

Ever been close to calling it quits?

I have. Very close. See, from the moment I started writing I, like most writers, fell in love with it. So much. Yet I had no idea how difficult it would be to secure an agent and get published.

I haven't shared much about my own journey so far, but here's a piece of it now:
Once I finished writing, editing, revising, shelving and re-editing EVIE'S KNIGHT, I gave it to just over a dozen beta readers. After receiving feedback from them, I went over it one final time, and then started to query.

Querying sucked. A lot.
I got rejection after rejection after rejection, until I got a request. For a full.
That didn't suck; it felt amazing!

But what's funny is I actually thought the agent would read the ENTIRE NOVEL before making a decision. And I was convinced that anyone who read the entire novel would fall in love with it. Of course, agents aren't required to read the whole thing. They could get as far as the synopsis and decide it's not going where they hoped it might and reject it before even getting to the novel. You never know. Not to mention, as any agent will tell you, this is a subjective business. They could read the entire thing, like it but not love it and you've still got a 'no'. But that's all beside the point.

So fast-forward to ... I'm not sure how much later, and I get a rejection stating that though she liked the voice and plot of the novel, she felt it "lacked polish".
POLISH? After I went over it a million times and shelved it and went over it a million more times and had all these beta readers go over it and... (Later I realized she was right, but let's not spoil the mood here.)
I was devastated. And ready to call it quits. Who was I anyway? Some ... twilight-loving, kid raising, not even best grade-getting woman who didn't know a thing about writing until she dedicated sleepless nights and insanely early mornings to a passion that took her by storm and refused to let go. Sure I had a dream. But maybe it just wasn't meant to be.

Writing was time-consuming. And though I loved it, though I couldn't imagine my life without it, I was wondering if I should call it quits. For good. I remember praying about it like, "Okay, is this my answer? Am I just stupidly pursuing something that is never going to happen?"  This is about the time I got a phone call from my dear, sweet mother who sensed the distress in my voice (never mind the hopelessness of my words) and got online to find out what local writers did. Surely there was a place to turn. Somewhere writers like myself could gather, share writing tips, gush about the highs, whine about the lows,  who knows? 
She was right. She discovered a local group that met once a month at a nearby library.
Now here's the kicker - the meeting was that very night. The one night of the month they met. So I went. Even though I didn't really want to. Even though I wouldn't have gone if it had been on any of the other twenty-nine days of that month.

This was a turning point for me. Being around other writers was incredible. Just the vibe in that room invigorated my writer's soul. I came home with a renewed passion, ready to get back on that laptop and do whatever it would take to make that manuscript shine. I also met the amazing women from my critique group (not to mention some super awesome friends) at such meetings.
I continue to learn, grow and renew my passion each time I attend a writer's meeting or conference. And most importantly, even when the going gets - well - straight out brutal, I hang in there and keep on writing. Truth be told, I don't know if I ever had much of a choice. :)

I want to leave you with one of the most fantastic blurbs on querying I have ever, ever read. YOU MUST READ The Ten Phases of Rejection. Best laugh ever.

Okay, so now you know a little something about me. What about you? Have you come close to calling it quits? What helps you stay with it when the writing world gets rough?

Query (Tracker) Tip Tuesday

Okay, I can barely believe I've already written two blogs on queries without even mentioning the brightest guiding light known to queryers: QUERY TRACKER. (QT)

While finishing the final (ha, ha)  revisions on EVIE'S KNIGHT, I started researching agents. And while there were a lot of great sites out there, none was more helpful to me than QueryTracker.net.

I can't even tell you how essential this is for anyone even thinking about sending a query into the world. Querying without QT is like going on vacation without a map. You've gassed up the car, loaded up the kids, the luggage, and the survival kit (some Diet Coke and a stash of jerky), all without giving a single thought to what lies ahead.

Why would I say that? Because before QT, I sent out queries. And waited. And waited. Sometimes I'd get  a rejection, other times I wouldn't hear back at all, but every time I was left in the dark, wondering what to expect. I was dying to know what others were going through, but all I had was the info on the agent's submission page - nothing more. (Their website will most likely not volunteer that said agent hasn't responded to a query in over a year. Yet this would be good to know - right?)

And then I found Query Tracker

*Angelic hallelujah chord here*

 Not only does this site help you keep track of those you've queried, how and when you queried them, and their responses, but it also lends insightful little tidbits (shared by fellow writers) about each agent.
See 'comments' tab to read what other writers have shared about their experience with that agent. Here, we sympathize with each other when times get hard; we congratulate one another when there's something to celebrate. When a fellow Query-Tracker lands an agent, their Success Story gets posted on the QT Blog (which is fantastic btw; sign up for it!). This interview often includes the actual query letter used to land their new agent.

Go to 'query statistics', to find out how long the average wait is for a particular agent (at that time; it changes). You can see what genre(s) they've requested recently, and how long it took them to request. (All based on info provided by fellow QT-ers.)

On each agent's page, there are direct links to their website, email address, and even their twitter and blog page (if they have one). You'll also find links to AgentQuery.com, Preditors and Editors (a must!), Publisher's Marketplace, and more.


Wondering how much it costs? Well you can join for free (and get limited use), or become a Premium Member for $25 a YEAR! (This could change, but that's the price as of today's date.) It's a steal.
Join, and experience what it's like to step into the query light.


Tomorrow I'll announce the contest winner! (Sorry, too late to enter this one, but I'll be doing another soon.) 
Thursday I'll share my lowest of the writer lows and how I pushed through it.
Friday will be sort of random because I want to share a weird experience I had in the supermarket today and get your thoughts on it.


Have you used QT before? Let me know how research agents, or keep track of your queries; I'd love to hear it.

LDS Storymakers 2011 Summary

Okay, so I'm not even going to try to sum up the entire conference in one post, that would take forever, but I will say, I'm so glad I went! Like with most conferences I've attended, I came home with a refreshed writer's tank, a newly inspired writer's brain, and a frankly disillusioned view of where we stand as aspiring authors. This delicious dose of reality was served up best by our keynote speaker, Larry Brooks, when he stated that we could easily fit all of the 'really famous' authors into a single booth at Dennys. (Perhaps he said a different restaurant but you get the drift.) This comment earned a round of laughter from the crowd because, well, it's hilarious, and if you can't laugh at these things you just might end up in tormented bouts of therapy instead.

Brooks also stated that if one intends to write a book, one should have knowledge of what it takes to write a good book. Riding in an airplane does not authorize us to actually fly an airplane. Eating a certain dish at a restaurant doesn't qualify us to then make the dish. And in turn, reading a novel, even enjoying many of them, doesn't necessarily mean we can write a good novel.

Brooks, a best-selling author himself, recently released Story Engineering: Mastering the 6 Core Competencies of Successful Storytelling. A review for this book can be found @ http://writeitsideways.com/story-engineering-by-larry-brooks-a-review/

Anyway, tons of great classes taught by authors Dan Wells, Clint Johnson, Lisa Mangum and Elana Johnson (who happens to be the reason I'm finally blogging!) to name a few.
Our panel of agents and editors gave feedback on first pages submitted in advance by attendees. This was one of my favorite parts of the conference. It was so interesting to hear literary agent Sara Megibow explain why she would not read any further on a particular page. Or to listen to agent Becca Stumpf describe what she liked about a certain read, and what she could have done without.

So, were you at the conference? What was the most memorable part for you? And if you weren't there, share a memorable experience from a prior conference. I'd love to hear it.