Hello! I'm writing this post on Monday of this week and there is snow forecasted for tomorrow! It's April showers bring May flowers, not snowflakes! Oh, well. It gives us an excuse to curl up with a good read. And speaking of which...
I have another Gem of a writer on this week. Please welcome Kathleen Lawless who is giving us a look at her romance A BRIDE FOR SHANE. But let's learn a little bit more about Kathleen first...
When did your love for writing start?
I remember being quite young and walking home from school and all these people and their stories were in my head, I just had to start writing them down. Writing was the one thing that made sense in my world, and the only career I ever saw outside of motherhood.
What is the best thing you’ve learned about writing and/or the publishing business?
What is the best thing you’ve learned about writing and/or the publishing business?
Writing for a living is like the weather, constantly changing, but good story telling will never go out of fashion.
Give us a brief glimpse at your road to publication.
Give us a brief glimpse at your road to publication.
Got an hour? I’m self-taught, so it was a long bumpy road to finally getting ‘the call’ from my agent, years before on-line was a ‘thing’. 20 years of rejections, revisions, conferences, networking, contests, and I can not tell you how much invested in postage to finally being a published author. In hindsight, I’m glad I didn’t get published before my work was ready to go out in the world on its own and I’ve never looked back. I see too many new writers rushing out their very first attempt when it really should stay under the bed to marinate and improve with age. It’s a rare first book that is born ready for publication. My first published books were a far cry from my earliest efforts and they are really flawed.
Where do you live? Where would you love to live?
Where do you live? Where would you love to live?
There is nowhere else in Canada I would rather live than my little cottage near the beach here on the west coast, but I do long for a second home someplace tropical to escape our cold, wet winters.
I get that, as shown in my earlier statement about April showers! Share with us a little about your family.
I get that, as shown in my earlier statement about April showers! Share with us a little about your family.
After 15 years on my own doing a lot of (wink, wink) research, I was lucky enough to meet my soul mate. I wish everyone could know the kind of Happy Ever After I have with him. He’s so romantic, it makes it easy to write about love that lasts a lifetime.
What was one of the best Mother’s Day presents you ever received?
What was one of the best Mother’s Day presents you ever received?
As a divorced single mom, I had to work as well as write to support us and I was away from home on business trips a fair amount when the kids were growing up. I came home one Mother’s Day to find they had cleared out a weed-choked patch of garden where I had always wanted to grow roses. They had planted 3 rose bushes (one from each of them) and made a plaque for each with the title from my first three published novels. I still tear up at the memory of all that love and support.
Aww! What a great gift!
Aww! What a great gift!
My Proxy Bride romance A BRIDE FOR SHANE RELEASES ON MAY 18TH.
Kathleen Lawless blames a misspent youth watching Rawhide, Maverick and Bonanza for her fascination with cowboys, which doesn’t stop her from creating a wide variety of interests and occupations for her many alpha male heroes.
Her hero, Steele, in HER UNDERCOVER COWBOY, is a modern-day cowboy, so when she was wooed by a man called Steel— while he’s not a cowboy, he is an alpha male and her forever hero. Which is why all of her stories end Happily Ever After.
Sign up for Kathleen’s VIP Reader Newsletter to receive a free book, updates, special giveaways and fan-priced offers. http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1
Blurb ~
Her brother’s bad-boy best friend needs a wife!
American heiress and champion horse breeder, Lacey has always been in love with her brother’s rough-and-tumble, bad boy best friend. She doesn’t care if Shane is a pauper and a convicted thief, so when she learns he is sentenced to death, his only reprieve hinging on a proxy marriage, she doesn’t hesitate to sign the papers, ship her horses, and head West.
Proud and fiercely independent, Shane hates being beholden to anyone almost as much as he hated being in prison. Years ago, his best friend’s twin sister threw herself at him, a temptation that drove him West to seek his fortune. Now it seems someone wants to take that fortune away from him. Why else was he tried and found guilty for a crime he didn’t commit?
Aware he owes Lacey his life, Shane guards his secrets, determined to find out who framed him so he can prove his innocence and annul the marriage. Then a dead body shows up on their ranch, making it obvious that Shane’s goals clash with whoever wants him out of the picture permanently.
Lacey has no intention of accepting an annulment, and schemes to make their marriage binding in every way. A move Shane finds impossible to resist, even though it means putting them both in harm’s way, and possibly landing him back in jail. Lacey’s move to solidify their union pits the couple against the villain and reveals the secret Shane is hiding. Why has he deceived her? What else is he keeping from her? And how will it affect their future?
Link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WRNS4P7
“I’m not afraid of dying,” Shane told Jones, the smartly-dressed lawyer who had been a frequent visitor to his jail cell lately.
“Only a foolish man would die for something he didn’t do,” Jones said. “And I don’t consider you a foolish man.”
“Just unlucky,” Shane muttered.
“Whoever stole those horses deserves to be the one staring down the hangman’s noose, not you. The true thief will keep right on thieving, and get away with it because you took the fall.”
“I don’t need to be rehabilitated,” Shane said stubbornly. “I’ve got no truck with a bunch of stuffy church ladies going all preachy on me and minding my business.”
“Taking on a wife will help prove to society that you’ve reformed,” the lawyer said.
Shane half-snorted, half-laughed. “Who’d marry me?”
“Apparently, Lacey Collins has agreed to that honor,” Jones said drily.
Shane straightened. “Lacey Collins! Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”
“So, you agree?”
“Heck, no.” He tamped down the image of Lacey that drifted into the recesses of his memory. A cascade of wavy dark auburn hair and a temper to match. Beautiful, willful, and used to getting what she wanted. As his best friend’s twin sister, Lacey was out of his league and completely off limits!
“She’s agreed to save your sorry hide, allowing me time to find the real perpetrator and get you pardoned,” Jones continued. “As long as the union isn’t consummated, it can be annulled later.” The man gave him a closer look. “Judging by your reaction, that doesn’t seem like it should be an issue.”
Shane eyed him straight back. Clearly, the lawyer had never met Lacey.
He doubted she still had a schoolgirl crush on him, but all these years and miles between them hadn’t lessened his feelings for her. Or the dead set knowledge that he wasn’t worthy of her and never would be.
American heiress and champion horse breeder, Lacey has always been in love with her brother’s rough-and-tumble, bad boy best friend. She doesn’t care if Shane is a pauper and a convicted thief, so when she learns he is sentenced to death, his only reprieve hinging on a proxy marriage, she doesn’t hesitate to sign the papers, ship her horses, and head West.
Proud and fiercely independent, Shane hates being beholden to anyone almost as much as he hated being in prison. Years ago, his best friend’s twin sister threw herself at him, a temptation that drove him West to seek his fortune. Now it seems someone wants to take that fortune away from him. Why else was he tried and found guilty for a crime he didn’t commit?
Aware he owes Lacey his life, Shane guards his secrets, determined to find out who framed him so he can prove his innocence and annul the marriage. Then a dead body shows up on their ranch, making it obvious that Shane’s goals clash with whoever wants him out of the picture permanently.
Lacey has no intention of accepting an annulment, and schemes to make their marriage binding in every way. A move Shane finds impossible to resist, even though it means putting them both in harm’s way, and possibly landing him back in jail. Lacey’s move to solidify their union pits the couple against the villain and reveals the secret Shane is hiding. Why has he deceived her? What else is he keeping from her? And how will it affect their future?
Link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08WRNS4P7
Excerpt ~
“I’m not afraid of dying,” Shane told Jones, the smartly-dressed lawyer who had been a frequent visitor to his jail cell lately.
“Only a foolish man would die for something he didn’t do,” Jones said. “And I don’t consider you a foolish man.”
“Just unlucky,” Shane muttered.
“Whoever stole those horses deserves to be the one staring down the hangman’s noose, not you. The true thief will keep right on thieving, and get away with it because you took the fall.”
“I don’t need to be rehabilitated,” Shane said stubbornly. “I’ve got no truck with a bunch of stuffy church ladies going all preachy on me and minding my business.”
“Taking on a wife will help prove to society that you’ve reformed,” the lawyer said.
Shane half-snorted, half-laughed. “Who’d marry me?”
“Apparently, Lacey Collins has agreed to that honor,” Jones said drily.
Shane straightened. “Lacey Collins! Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”
“So, you agree?”
“Heck, no.” He tamped down the image of Lacey that drifted into the recesses of his memory. A cascade of wavy dark auburn hair and a temper to match. Beautiful, willful, and used to getting what she wanted. As his best friend’s twin sister, Lacey was out of his league and completely off limits!
“She’s agreed to save your sorry hide, allowing me time to find the real perpetrator and get you pardoned,” Jones continued. “As long as the union isn’t consummated, it can be annulled later.” The man gave him a closer look. “Judging by your reaction, that doesn’t seem like it should be an issue.”
Shane eyed him straight back. Clearly, the lawyer had never met Lacey.
He doubted she still had a schoolgirl crush on him, but all these years and miles between them hadn’t lessened his feelings for her. Or the dead set knowledge that he wasn’t worthy of her and never would be.
Bio ~
Kathleen Lawless blames a misspent youth watching Rawhide, Maverick and Bonanza for her fascination with cowboys, which doesn’t stop her from creating a wide variety of interests and occupations for her many alpha male heroes.
Her hero, Steele, in HER UNDERCOVER COWBOY, is a modern-day cowboy, so when she was wooed by a man called Steel— while he’s not a cowboy, he is an alpha male and her forever hero. Which is why all of her stories end Happily Ever After.
Sign up for Kathleen’s VIP Reader Newsletter to receive a free book, updates, special giveaways and fan-priced offers. http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1
Thanks for joining us today, Kathleen! I hope you'll return to share your next release with us!
Have a nice day, everyone! Thanks for reading.
9 comments:
MJ, it was a pleasure. Thank you so much for hosting.
A BRIDE FOR SHANE sounds like a great read, Kathleen. Wishing you continued success!
Love the blurb and excerpt! Congrats on your new release!
Hi, Caroline! Thanks for stopping by! Hope you have a nice day!
I appreciate you taking the time out to read and comment, Virginia! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
What a great plot line. Can't wait to read this one. Definitely a gem of a book.
Agreed! Thanks for taking the time to comment, Marcia! :)
Congratulations, Kathleen. I love writing and reading proxy bride stories, don't you? Your cover is gorgeous and I loved the blurb and excerpt.
It is a striking cover, isn't it? We appreciate you joining in the conversation today! :)
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