Thursday, October 21, 2010

Get to Know Author Keena Kincaid and Win!

Win a copy of the hot historical romance Enthralled from author Keena Kincaid today at the Book Boost!


Welcome to our special guest today, thanks for joining us for an impromptu question session.


TBB: When and why did you begin writing?

KK: I think I’ve always told stories in some form or fashion and have made my living as a writer all my life. My mother likes to remind me that I’m a natural born storyteller. I guess I told some doozies when I was a kid.

After college, I spent 10 years working as a newspaper reporter, then moved into public relations and marketing communications. Writing a novel was always in my plans, and I started working on it seriously about 15 years ago.

TBB: I've been writing for 15+ years myself. So, I know the dedication that it takes to stick with it in this highly competitive field. Tell us, how did you come up with the title for this book?

KK: Magic abounds in my books, and one character uses her abilities to bind people to her. They are enthralled in the old-fashioned sense of the word. However, it also could describe William’s love for Amilia, the heroine. He literally cannot think straight around her.

TBB: This sounds wonderful. Tell us a little more about your writing style, what would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

KK: I make up words. Turn nouns into verbs, verbs into objects, and generally just play with the language. It used to drive my English teachers nuts.

TBB: I love it. Now, all good writers know that you must be a good reader as well. So, what book are you reading now?

KK: I’ve been reading down my TBR pile, and just finished Blythe Gifford’s His Border Bride. A wonderful, wonderful book. I highly recommend it.

TBB: And one final fun question, if you had to pick a celebrity to play you in a movie, who would it be and why?

KK: Considering that my life reads as if it’s been penned by Monty Python, I’d have to say Tea Leoni. She has a good sense of the absurd and great comic timing. Of course, just for sheer chutzpah, I’d have to say Bette Davis.

TBB: Great choices! I absolutely adore Tea Leoni. I think she might be one of the most underestimated actresses in Hollywood today. Thanks for joining us on short notice, Keena. Please tell us a little more about your new book!

Blurb:

To claim her, he must abandon home, duty, and honor—or reveal the secret of her Sidhe heritage and risk losing her forever to dark magic…


William of Ravenglas wants only one woman—his foster sister, Ami—but she is promised to another, a fate sealed by his father’s recklessness. Resolved to her forfeiture, he forges a dangerous path to bring stability to the house of Ravenglas, balancing the secret demands of the queen against loyalty to the king.


Ami, true sister to Aedan ap Owen the minstrel, refuses her fate. She wants William. But when his kiss awakens her dormant magic, it triggers cascading events that sweep her into the queen’s fiendish web and threaten William's life.


Now Ami must learn to control her fey powers or watch William die. But with a mystery lover in his past, even if she succeeds will he truly be hers?


Excerpt:

She looked up. His eyes were heavy and dark and filled with a need that sent woozy warmth through her. She could see it in his expression, feel it in the way her heart pounded when he looked at her. He wanted her. Flames licked the back of her thighs, the skin behind her ears. She grazed her fingertips across his chest, trying to figure out how she could force a man almost twice her size to kiss her again.


She flattened her hand against his chest until she felt the distant, fast thud of his heart. Maybe this would be easier than it should be. In a swift move, she rose on her toes and brushed her mouth against his. He pushed her back, then grabbed her arms, as if to keep her away.


“I am at the edge, Ami.”


Something akin to pain blunted his voice, as if the words were forced to cut themselves free of his tongue. His eyes, though, were dark, the pupils so large only a pale ring of blue remained, and his breath came in short, shallow bursts. A brilliant purple rose between them, over them, filling her senses with the heady perfume of thyme blossoms.


His eyes turned the deep hue of bruised violets. His will wavered, then shattered.


She stilled, suddenly terrified of the thrum and churn in her blood. Her body felt insubstantial yet so heavy her knees threatened to buckle. Slowly, as if giving her time to run, he stepped her backward. Her shoulders grazed the wall, then pressed against it as he pushed closer. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t slow the frantic pounding of her heart, the desperate urge to arch her spine, to press her body against his.


“Do not move.” His whisper brushed over her cheek, his breath sweetly scented by wine. Unable to ignore the command, her nerves sizzled as he closed the distance between them. His lips brushed hers, once. Twice. Then he plundered her mouth.


Want More Keena?

Keena Kincaid is the author of four romance novels set in 12th century England. Her books are available from The Wild Rose Press, Amazon, Barnes and Noble online as well as anywhere ebooks are sold. Enthralled becomes available October 22nd!


Visit her website here: http://keenakincaid.com/
Follow her on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/keenakincaid

Click here to visit her blog Typos and All!


Contest Time:
Leave a question or comment for Keena to be eligible to win an e-copy of her new release Enthralled. Winner selected in about a week and posted in the Recent Winners box on the right hand column of this blog. Check back to see if you are a winner and to claim your prize!

24 comments:

Morgan Mandel said...

I wish I had the imagination to write books with magic in them like you!

The excerpt sounds fantastic, Keena.

Also, I'll have to mention to Blythe Gifford at our next RWA chapter meeting that you liked her book. She'll be happy to hear that.

Morgan Mandel
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com

LK Hunsaker said...

Keena, this one looks wonderful, also! Love your word playing. :-)

Mona Risk said...

What a lovely excerpt, Keena. And your book cover is gorgeous. Best wishes for your release day.

Lucy Beugeling-Ramos said...

Thanks for the giveaway!
I love the cover.
Please enter me.

Question: when did you start writing books?

Keena Kincaid said...

Thanks for coming by, everyone. I really appreciate it.

Morgan: I don't know where the magic comes from. It just showed up one day while I was working on a story. I love when that happens.

LK: Isn't it fun? I always told my teachers that Shakespeare made up words, too. One scowled at me and commented on my tendency to put myself in very fine company. :-)

Mona: I love the cover, too. It's very moody and quite sexy.

Lucy: You're entered. I wrote my first manuscript 15 years ago while unemployed for about nine months. I wrote two in that time period (neither of which will ever see daylight) and figured how what I was doing. I probably started writing with the intent to sell about seven years later and sold a few years after that.

Diane Garner said...

Hi Keena,
Congrats on your latest release. I LUV, LUV, LUV the excerpt.

Cindy K. Green said...

The book sounds fantastic, Keena. I wish you well with it!

Cheryl Pierson said...

Keena,

I was chuckling as I read that you made up words and played with the language. That is one thing I dearly love about your books. It makes me want to read faster and study what you've done--always something different. I love the element of magic you put in your writing, too. That is not easy! Please enter me in your drawing, too! I would love to win a copy of ENTHRALLED!!!! Love your writing, Keena.

Hugs,
Cheryl

Maggie Toussaint said...

I'm lucky enough to have read Enthralled and it is a keeper. I highly recommend it. Keena writes with such passion that the characters leap off the page.

Maggie

Stacey Smith said...

Wow sound like a good Book.I Always wanted to be a righter but did not have the Imagination to be one but i'm glad there are people Out there that do have the stuff so I can enjoy there Imagination so thanks.
sasluvbooks(at)yahoo.com

Margaret Tanner said...

Hi Keena,
Great excerpt, left me wanting more.I only wish I could write "magic" books.

regards

Margaret

Keena Kincaid said...

Hi, Diane. Thanks. I loved writing that scene. Poor William. The man is trying so hard to deny his desires and do what he thinks is right.

Keena Kincaid said...

Thanks, Cindy and Cheryl.

Keena Kincaid said...

Thanks, Maggie! I'm glad you enjoyed it. Most of the time, after I finish a book, the characters leave my head, but William has stuck around. I think it's because he's the one that undergoes that greatest change in the book.

Stephanie Burkhart said...

Keena, I love Tea Leoni! :) I read Blythe's "His Border Bride" over the summer and I enjoyed that book as well. I loved what she did with the falcons.

I'm a sucker for magic and I think you've really woven it well into the historical background of your novels.

Did you have to do a lot of research for this series? Since you live in the states, was it most Internet research or did you travel?

Smiles
Steph

Keena Kincaid said...

Thanks, Stacy. I once heard an author say that writing is like preaching. If you can do anything else, do it. :-)

It's hard work, but I wouldn't do anything else.

Thanks, Margaret. The magic is tough sometimes. I should write a blog about the rules of magic because I firmly believe to make it interesting to readers, it has to come with a downside as well as an upside.

Liana Laverentz said...

Happy Release Day, Keena...so glad you found an outlet for your made up words!

Liana

Keena Kincaid said...

Hi, Steph. This series sort of surprised me. I spent about four months in England one year, just hanging out for the most part. Exploring all those places I'd read about during my grad school days, but couldn't afford to visit at the time.

In hindsight, I can see that the series was already in my mind, and that I was researching places and all the details that I would need for the books even before I began to write them.

I also have a reference library (been collecting books since I was about 14) that I use three times a day when I write.

Keena Kincaid said...

Thanks, Liane. Yes, I'm glad for the outlet, although now my editor highlights the word and goes, "what?"

Shawna Thomas said...

I love the cover; it's gorgeous. The excerpt is intriguing; this is going on my TBR list!

Caroline Clemmons said...

Great excerpt. Thanks for sharing.

Keena Kincaid said...

Thanks for stopping by, Lynne. I hope you enjoy Enthralled.

Keena Kincaid said...

Caroline,
Thanks for coming by the blog.

Keena Kincaid said...

The winner of the free e-copy is....


(drum roll, please).....



Morgan Mandel!

Morgan, send me your email address and I'll send off the book. My email is: keena@keenakincaid.com