Morning,

I absolutely love this time of the year. It just begs you to curl up with a good book, hot cocoa with melting marshmallows, and a crackling fire. I love it.

The leaves are falling, a slow strip tease, and now I’m starting to see my neighbors. I like my neighbors, but have to admit that I rather enjoyed the secluded feeling of summer. I guess the seasons are a give and take, like everything else in life.

I’m Your Santa was on the USA Today Bestseller list for three weeks in a row! Woo-hoo! Thanks to all who put it there.

I’m counting down the weeks until My Favorite Phantom hits the stores–Dec 30th online, and I think Jan 3rd in stores! Yea!!! It’s a hot romantic comedy about a ghost hunter who’s afraid of ghosts.

Okay, not really a contest, just make a comment and I’ll pull two names out of the mix and send them each a copy of I’m Your Santa. Now, how cool is that?

Hugs,
Karen Kelley
Available Now The Bad Boys Guide To The Galaxy/Brava
MM Brava I’m Your Santa 10/08
USA TODAY BESTSELLER!!!
My Favorite Phantom/Brava 01/09
www.authorkarenkelley.com

HI Everyone,
Sorry I’m late posting this. I got in late last night. It was Buns & Roses weekend in Dallas where authors sat with readers and had tea and goodies and talked about–what else–books, while raising money for literacy. I’ll be posting pictures of the event on my website this week if my webmistress isn’t swamped.

I’m tickled pink to say I had my picture taken with Sherrilynn Kenyon. She is such a nice person, and a wonderful author. Boy, were they lined up to buy her books, too! There were fans dressed as vampires, some had tattoos of her characters–I’m talking about real ones, not the wet and stick on kind.

Okay, I can see it now, someone with Planet Nerak tattooed on their arm. That would be cool.

And I met up with a lot of old friends–like Billie Jo over at Romance Junkies who flew in for the event, Jane Graves, Candy Havens, Jodi Thomas, Sandy Blair, Monica from the Allen bookstore, new friends Wyndi, Ali…. so many that I’m going to quit listing them.

I’m off to catch up on my writing. I have contests coming up for my newsletter group so drop by my website if you’re not already a member and join.

Best,
Karen Kelley
Available Now The Bad Boys Guide To The Galaxy/Brava
MM Brava Reissue I’m Your Santa 10/08
My Favorite Phantom/Brava 01/09
www.authorkarenkelley.com

Good Morning!

September has started off with a bang! First, my wonderful editor offered me another three book contract. I am so jazzed that I’ll get to write this new series. These guys are to die for (fanning myself). Hot sexy alien men who shapeshift, and they’ve come to Earth looking for three very special women. LOL Do they ever turn their worlds upside down! These books will be packed with lots of sexual tension, lots of romance, lots of comedy and lots of….welll, y’all know me.

I was also notified that Close Encounters of the Sexy Kind won first place in the Greater Detroit Booksellers Best contest Erotic category, it also took second place in the Passionate Plume, 2nd place in the Lorries, and was a finalist in the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award. This is the first book in my Planet Nerak series which is still available. I’m thrilled that my Planet Nerak series has been so warmly received. I want to thank everyone who has written to tell me how much they’re enjoying this series.

I also signed with a fabulous agent a few months ago, and I can’t say enough good about him.

To celebrate all my good news this year, I’m going to give away a copy of The Bad Boys Guide To The Galaxy. Just make a comment, say hi, whatever you want, and you’re entered. Must be 18 or older. This contest ends at midnight tonight and you’ll be notified tomorrow because I’m not even staying up until midnight.

Karen Kelley
The Bad Boys Guide To The Galaxy/Kensington Brava
Book Three in the Planet Nerak series Available Now
www.authorkarenkelley.com
www.myspace.com/authorkarenkelley

Morning,

Karl says I’m getting negative and that I should be more positive so the other day I decided maybe he was right and I would make an effort to do better. I started the day out washing a load of clothes, but when I went to get my new bra out of the washer I noticed it was wrapped around and under the agitator. I think I know why they call it an agitator. But I would stay positive.

I tried to wiggle it loose—nothing. Pulling on it didn’t work, either. I decided I needed more leverage so I placed one foot on the front of the machine and tugged as hard as I could. It snapped loose, I slammed into the wall behind me, and hit my head.

The agitator is now warped on one side, I have a bump on the back of my head and my bra is 78 inches long. But I’m positive. I’m positive that I’ll never get to wear it again.

I had to go to the grocery store later that day. I wanted to make something special for supper, but I couldn’t remember all the ingredients so I grabbed eggs, milk and butter, made some wild guesses on what else was in the recipe, then tossed in a bottle of wine. The gum-smacking clerk ran the items up and with a bored expression said it came to $865.42. Now I know things have gone up, but my cart wasn’t even close to being full. If the prices had gone up that much I was willing to give back everything except the wine.

The manager was called over and after re-scanned my items, we came up with $86.54, but by then I had spent more time at the store than I had planned. BUT, I was going to stay positive. I was pretty positive the snotty little clerk wouldn’t be getting a raise any time soon.

On the way home, some guy talking on his cell phone cut me off as he pulled on the freeway. I slammed on my breaks and swerved to the left, barely missing him. He didn’t even slow down. I was pretty positive this guy was a jerk.

I got home, opened the trunk, and my eggs were a scrambled, gooey mess, the flour had busted open and dusted the carpet. I was positive that wasn’t going to be easy to clean up. I was right.

By the time Karl got home I had finished off the bottle of wine and was feeling pretty good. He asked me how my day went. I said I stayed positive. He told me that he knew I could do it if I tried hard enough. I smiled, pretty positive that he would be staying on his own side of the bed, and I was right again!

Have a “positive” day!
Karen Kelley
The Bad Boys Guide To The Galaxy/Kensington Brava
Book Three in the Planet Nerak series Available Now
www.authorkarenkelley.com
www.myspace.com/authorkarenkelley

Waving Hi,
I love having a new book out. I love holding it in my hands, running my fingers lightly over the cover—yes, I’m obsessed or maybe that’s possessed. Actually, I love all books. Fiction, non-fiction, junk mail–okay, maybe not junk mail.

Oh, speaking of junk mail, I got something in the mail the other day. A dismal looking yellow envelope and in big bold letters it had YOU CAN GET PUBLISHED. I put a couple of my bookmarks in the no postage required envelope and sent it back to them. Revenge is sweet.

But then I started thinking….

You got it. If I get junk mail, then I’ll very politely say no thanks, and send them a bookmark. Mass publicity. Too cool. I love my life.

The Bad Boys Guide To The Galaxy is out—yea! I’m having a really cool contest for my newsletter group so drop by and join if you get the chance. Yes I went shopping, but I’m not going to say where.

I thought you might enjoy the opening of my synopsis for The Bad Boys Guide To The Galay. This is what I sent my editor:

Nerak is the perfect planet—sort of. First and foremost there are no men, only companion units. They vibrate and they don’t talk back—well, unless you give them an attitude chip.

The weather is perfect—every day. Day in and day out.

And there is no sickness.

Well, there wasn’t until Lara’s cousin’s spacecraft returned with earth aliens on board and one of them became ill. Now one of the Elders is infected and Lara, who is a healer except she never gets to heal anyone because no one ever gets sick on Nerak, has to go to Earth and find a cure for this ailment before the leader of her planet succumbs to this strange malady.
Except she’s not a good traveler.

But she does find her sister…and Sam. Her first real man. She’d like to explore him, for purely scientific reasons, but he doesn’t want to cooperate—yet. Her sister, Kia, talks Sam into offering the use of his cabin, which has access to many plants that she can test for a possible cure.

When Sam reluctantly offers to stay with her so she doesn’t come to any harm, even better. She should have plenty of time to explore earth…and Sam…and find a cure.

Have a fantastic day!
Karen Kelley
The Bad Boys Guide To The Galaxy/Kensington Brava
Book Three in the Planet Nerak series Available Now
www.authorkarenkelley.com
www.myspace.com/authorkarenkelley

It’s Monday!
Good morning everyone. Did you have a great weekend? My writers group had their conference this weekend. We had some awesome speakers! Definitely good energy flowing.

Thanks to everyone who has e-mailed to let me know how much they love Temperature’s Rising! That is so awesome.

And I’m so excited The Bad Boys Guide To The Galaxy will be out in a few weeks. Here’s a couple of the reviews:

This third Planet Nerak book is hysterically funny, with crazy alien antics, a surprise character cameo and literal out-of-this-world lovemaking. Readers will laugh out loud at the latest Nerakian desires and distractions and be pleased with the plethora of details finally revealed about Nerak.
Romantic Times reviewer, Jennifer Madsen 4 Stars

Karen has put together a fantastic read. It has scenes so hot that it scorches the pages, so funny that you laugh out loud, unexpected turns with interplanetary travel and the planet Nerak. I would recommend this read to anyone, and am eagerly looking forward to the next book to see where this talented author is taking us. Cryna Palmiere, reader

Are those not cool???

Hey y’all, I’m gearing up for almost back to back contests for my newsletter group. You can join at my website: www.authorkarenkelley.com It’s free and easy and I’m the only one who posts so you won’t get a ton of e-mail or anything.

Have a good one!
Karen Kelley
Cosmic Sex January 29, 2008 Brava
The Power of Love anth/Berkley June 3, 2008
Reissue Mass Market Temperature’s Rising June 3, 2008
The Bad Boys Guide To The Galaxy July 2008 Brava
www.authorkarenkelley.com
www.myspace.com/authorkarenkelley

I started to leave this blank. LOL The older I get, the less I know about life!

Our son graduated from UNT on Saturday. I cried. I always do. His sister cried (takes after me) and his wife cried (she soooo fits in). He’s been through a lot and deserves all the happiness that comes his way. Our daughter and her children were there, too. Her hubby was on assignment and couldn’t make it, missed him!, but we had a fabulous time. It was exactly what families should be all about. Definitely a Hallmark weekend.

Then I came home to a message on the answering machine that Close Encounters of the Sexy Kind is a finalist in the Booksellers Best. That is just soooo cool! Many thanks to all the judges!

Temperature’s Rising, my Brava reissue into mass market will be out in a few weeks. Woo-hoo. I love that book! And have you seen the cover? Verrrry hot!

Okay, I’m off to the dentist this morning so y’all be good! Okay, you don’t have to be. Oh, hey, y’all want to have a contest? Just say hi and I’ll enter your name into a drawing for a copy of I’m Your Santa or Southern Comfort. One winner—your choice of books. Already have them?—they make great presents. All contest rules apply—must me 18 or older…. One entry per household please. And watch for more contests coming soon for my newsletter group (you can join at my website).

Karen Kelley
Cosmic Sex January 29, 2008 Brava
The Power of Love anth/Berkley June 3, 2008
Reissue Mass Market Temperature’s Rising June 3, 2008
The Bad Boys Guide To The Galaxy July 2008 Brava
www.authorkarenkelley.com
www.myspace.com/authorkarenkelley

Our son got married Saturday. This was romance at it’s best. What life is all about. The wedding was absolutely beautiful.

I’ve always thought of Billy as my baby, and was a little more protective of him because he has epilepsy, but what I saw Saturday was a man. And when I looked at Jodie, and saw the way she looked at him, I knew he was her hero.

Our new daughter is so cool, too. I don’t have to train her. She has credit cards and knows how to use them We love shopping together while the guys do the paintball thing or fish.

Okay, I’ll try to attach an image of them If it doesn’t work, then I’ll try putting one up on my website.

Life is wonderful!
Hugs,
Karen

*gasp* Nee….need air *cough, cough*.

Yes, I am a Drama Queen. I freely admit it without embarrassment or shame. But if you could see my desk, you’d probably agree 100%. It always happens when I get close to the end of a deadline.

Today, I unearthed my calendar while I was hunting for something else. That’s when I saw I was supposed to be blogging here today and thought, Oh, ____! Now, I can’t really write
Oh,____! here so I’ll let y’all fill in the blank. Anyway, here I am. Better late than never.

I think I’m going to talk Karl into doing a contest on Feb 13th for my newsletter group. Anyone can join my newsletter group. Just go to www.authorkarenkelley.com. I still have some backlist I’d like to give away as I continue my quest for organization *snort* Does that ever really happen to people as disorganized as me? It’s not just me, though. Karl is the world’s worst, too.

Have y’all seen the reviews for Cosmic Sex? They’ve been so good. I also have them posted on my website along with excerpts.

Okay, I’m off to lose myself in the planet Nerak. Yes, there really is a planet Nerak.
Have a fantastic day!
Karen Kelley

I’m counting down the days until Cosmic Sex releases. I’m having such fun with this series. This is book #2 and is available for preorder at Amazon and B&N. Book #1, Close Encounters of the Sexy Kind is a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award finalist—be truthful, y’all heard me holler when I found out, didn’t you? LOL

I hope you enjoy the excerpt of Cosmic Sex:
Excerpt
COSMIC SEX

Nick started laughing. “Sam put you up to this, didn’t he? What are you supposed to do? Call him up and tell him I fell for your alien story?” He strode behind the bar and into the kitchen and opened the fridge.

“I didn’t know Sam before tonight,” Kia said.

He grabbed a beer and twisted the cap off and tossed it into the trash as he turned back around. “Okay, there for a minute I did start to wonder. You had me going with the disappearing lamp. How’d you do that?” He raised the longneck to his lips. There was a light thump on the bottom and the beer disappeared. He was left with puckered lips but no bottle.

Okay, now that wasn’t funny. It’d been his last one. There was an unwritten law you didn’t mess with a man’s last beer.

His eyes narrowed. Sam had really outdone himself. This was no local magician. Nope, she was damn good—in more ways than one.

“I’m not sure when your things will return, but they will. This is a phazer. It’s not meant to harm, only to give someone time to get control of her emotions. On Nerak, where I’m from, we no longer have weapons that destroy.”

“So why didn’t you use it on the biker in the bar?” Answer that one, babe!

“There were too many people around. It’s not wise that others know I’m from another planet.”

He frowned. Good answer. But he still wasn’t buying that she was some sort of alien from another planet. “Sorry, lady, you’ll have to give me more proof than a little black box.”

“Your penis will also fall off in the morning because we had sex.”

He grabbed his crotch, the color draining from his face. “You’re joking, right?”

She smiled. “My sisters say I don’t have a sense of humor. I think I have a very good one.”
She sighed. “Of course it won’t fall off. But don’t you find it strange that you refuse to believe my weapon is from another planet but yet you’ll accept that your penis will fall off?”

He frowned. “That’s not what I was thinking.” He quickly moved his hands away from his crotch.

Y’all have a good day!
Karen