M.J. Kane stumbled into writing. An avid reader, this stay at home mom never lost the overactive imagination of an only child. As an adult she made up stories, though never shared them, to keep herself entertained. It wasn’t until surviving a traumatic medical incident in 2006 that she found a reason to let the characters inhabiting her imagination free. Upon the suggestion of her husband, she commandeered his laptop and allowed the characters to take life. It was that, or look over her shoulder for men caring a purple strait jacket. And the rest, as they say, is history. No longer a television addict, if M.J. isn’t reading a book by one of her favorite authors, she’s battling with her creative muse to balance writing and being a wife and mother. She resides in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia with her high school sweetheart, four wonderful children, and two pit bulls. MJ can often be found hanging out at the local library where she is director of a local writer’s group, or online connecting with readers and other authors. Other activities she enjoys include: creating custom floral arrangements, assisting her children in their creative pursuits of music and art, and supporting her husband’s music production business, 3D Sounds. WEBSITE FACEBOOK TWITTER
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![]() M.J. Kane stumbled into writing. An avid reader, this once stay-at-home mom never lost the overactive imagination of an only child. As an adult she made up stories, though never shared them, to keep herself entertained. It wasn’t until surviving a traumatic medical incident in 2006 that she found a reason to let the characters inhabiting her imagination free. Upon the suggestion of her husband, she commandeered his laptop and allowed the characters to take life. It was that, or look over her shoulder for men caring a purple strait jacket. And the rest, as they say, is history. What is your favorite thing about being a writer? Being able to listen to the voices in my head and know that they are my characters talking and that I’m not crazy! Being a writer is the perfect excuse to be an adult and use my imagination all the time and get paid for it! What genre(s) do you write? My stories are a mixture of Women’s Fiction, Interracial Romance, and Contemporary Romance. What was the hardest part of writing your book? Deciding what point on a timeline to start the story. First chapters can make or break a story. Knowing what about the characters story would draw a reader in the most can take the longer than deciding how the story will end. Are you a plotter or a pantser? I’m a plotter all the way! Why do you think people should choose your books over another author? I wouldn’t say a reader should choose my book over anyone. There are tons of authors out there with amazing stories to tell. I would tell readers that if you like stories that are about imperfect characters that make mistakes, yet learn from them and evolve into stronger individuals based on their experiences, them my books are for you! What do you hope readers take with them after reading one of your stories? My stories are about the reality of finding love and living life. Regardless of our racial or economic backgrounds, we all face the same issues in life. Be it financial, family, career, or medical…there are experiences we face that can be life changing. My stories are about those situations and follow the characters as they grow. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? Oh yes! My wish is that my readers be able to find encouragement from my stories and learn to open their hearts and minds to the world and people around them. How long have you been a writer? I started my writing journey in 2005 when I wrote a short Fan-Fic story for the show, Lost. I decided to dig in and learn the art of writing in 2009. How much time did it take from writing your first book to having it published? It took four years. During that time I had several major re-writes, character name and plot changes. It took six months of query letter writing, then I was signed to 5 Prince Publishing! What other careers have you had? Most of my careers have involved Customer Service. I’ve worked for Safelite Autoglass as a dispatcher and customer service rep. UPS Logistics as a dispatcher. Several bank operations locations as a 10-Key operator (back when people actually wrote checks!), and I currently work at a library as a Library Assistant. This has been my favorite job, for obvious reasons. J Where are you from? Atlanta, Georgia, yep, I’m a Georgia Peach! How do you come up with the titles? I love symbolism and use the butterfly as a part of each story. Colors are also key, but when it comes to book titles, they are statements based on the characters story and theme of the book. Often times it’s something that jumps out from me. One of my writing signatures is having a character use the title of their story in their dialogue as a part of their story or another characters story when they appear. Has your life changed significantly since becoming a published writer? Well, I haven’t gotten Nora Roberts money yet, but I stay busy! I also have the pleasure of running into people who have read my books or recognize the covers or my name when I tell them I am a writer. It feels good to know that my work is making it around the world! Do you work on one project at a time? Or do you multi-task? I mostly focus on writing one story at a time, but I’m learning to multi-task and write more than one at a time. Here are some questions just for fun. Answer as many as you would like. Do you have any pets? Yes, we have four pit bulls, Vader, Ivy, Smokey, and Sugar. What was your first car? Ford Escort, two door, black, stick shift. I loved that car! What genre of books do you enjoy reading? Do you have a favorite author? Mystery, Sci-Fi, and Romantic Comedy. My favorite authors: J.R. Ward, Suzanne Brockmann, Stephanie Evanovich. Please tell us 5 miscellaneous facts about yourself. 1. Favorite color: Purple 2. Favorite candy: Skittles 3. Favorite flower: Magnolia 4. Favorite song: Stella by Andres Vollenweider 5. Favorite book series: The Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward Please share with us your future projects and upcoming releases. My current release is Nobody’s Business, the fourth novel in The Butterfly Memoir series. I am currently working on the fifth novel, Alone, which will be available Summer 2016. Where can readers find you? MJKaneMedia.com Excerpt: Nobody’s Business (Book 4 of The Butterfly Memoirs)
“Daddy!” Justin jogged as fast as his little feet could carry him up the walkway to my home the moment Trina released him from the car seat. I bent down to catch him. “Hey, mini me.” I tickled him as I swooped him up. He laughed, wrapped his little arms around my neck, and squeezed. “Hi, Trina.” I tried not to stare too hard at the mother of my child and the tight jeans she had on as she leaned over in the back of her Trailblazer. She regarded me as she unhooked his car seat. “Hi.” I grabbed his weekend bag she held out to me, tossed it over my free shoulder, and walked towards the house. Trina followed with the car seat. “You’re all dressed up for a Friday night. Got plans?” I fought the urge to look over my shoulder and read her body language. “None of your business, Tre. We’ve been over this before.” I decided to ignore her reply and focused on my son instead. “Are you ready for a fun filled man-weekend?” Justin giggled. “Yes!” “Make sure you stay on top of his medication, regardless of how much fun you’re having.” “I always do. How did his doctor’s appointment go?” “He’s doing well. The doctor is pleased with the results. There’s still no sign of tissue rejection which means he’s on his way to being completely free of the disease.” Inside, I sat the bag and Justin on the sofa. He rolled off and ran for his room, attempting to drag his oversized bag behind him. Trina watched in awe. “I just can’t get over how much more active he is. It’s like he’s trying to make up for the weeks he spent lying in the hospital bed.” “True, plus I think he likes it here. It’s better than living in the confines of an apartment.” I wiggled my eyebrows. “Large rooms, no nosey neighbors, huge fenced yard. Perfect for a boy to run around in with his dog.” Trina’s arms went across her chest as she sighed. “For the fifteenth time, no.” “Come on. We’ve lived together before and it wasn’t bad. I know things didn’t work out last time and it was my fault. I promise it won’t be like that this time. We have a reason to try again.” “No, you have a reason. We are fine where we live now. Justin has his own room and everything he needs. Quit trying to act as if your stepping into the picture is doing more for him than I have.” M.J. Kane, fresh off a fantastic book signing has some great advice on HOW TO MAKE A BOOK SIGNING EVENT SUCCESSFUL.
Author Bernadette Marie is discussing WHAT TO EXPECT AS A NEW AUTHOR ON RELEASE DAY. Our authors are full of great writing knowledge. You'll find links to their web pages and blogs up in our Author Tab! Trevon Campbell’s world changed the moment his ex-girlfriend announced he was a father. Determined to make up for his past mistakes, he gives Trina what she wanted before their breakup, what feels like his soul, which means forgetting the woman he had a one-night stand with, the woman who stole his heart.
Kai Malone doesn’t want to play by her family’s rules. Instead of working for the family business, she became a firefighter. Being a female of multicultural descent, working in a field dominated by men, Kai focuses on her job to ignore the infidelity of her fiancé. Tired of his deceit, she gave in to a one-night stand with a complete stranger, someone she’d never have to see again…or so she thought. When tragedy strikes, their worlds collide, leaving them no choice but to deal with each other again. It doesn’t take long for them to realize the attraction that brought them together the first time is stronger than ever, forcing Trevon to make the biggest decision of his life. $4.99 Amazon iTunes Barnes and Noble Smashwords Buy in Print Coming Soon ![]() Amy Gale is blogging about her sale and Giveaway! $0.99 SALE and $20 AMAZON GC GIVEAWAY!!! http://www.authoramygale.com/blog/blissful-tragedy-is-only-099-until-may-20th ![]() Look what we have on sale this month! ON SALE MAY 11- MAY 15 0.99 Scottish psychologist Doctor Kelly Ann Darrow loves her career and has never permitted her feelings to impact her professionalism, but when biker Cameron Iss arrives in her care, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to the unconscious man. His tattoos and the mysterious circumstances of his arrival intrigue her to distraction. Cameron Iss awakes in a strange country with no memory of how he got there and no knowledge of who he is. He takes out his frustrations at his amnesia on the sexy doctor enlisted with helping him unlock his mind. A mutual chemistry forms between them, and Kelly is plagued with guilt at her unethical and inappropriate attraction to this, her most perplexing patient yet. As his memories begin to return and they discover more about his violent past and his connection with a motorcycle club in America, the element of danger both excites and frightens Kelly, and nothing can douse the erotic fire he has sparked inside her. Will Kelly risk her career, her reputation, and all she is for the man who has ignited a dormant passion within her or will his returning memories steal him away for good? Amazon iTunes ![]() ON SALE MAY 13- MAY 21 0.99 The best day in a parent’s life turns into the worst.For expectant parents, the origins of a new life are usually accompanied by excitement, anticipation and just a touch of anxiety about the future. There are classes to attend, prams to buy, and of course, the baby's room has to be painted. This description fits Gary and Melinda quite nicely - except Gary hasn't painted the baby's room yet. He finally gets around to starting the job, but Melinda's water breaks before he finishes the first coat. From there, the situation rapidly deteriorates. Their baby, Justin, is born via caesarean. Shortly after the birth Justin experiences breathing difficulties and is transferred to intensive care a few hours later. The story follows Gary over a tumultuous few days as Justin undergoes emergency treatment. Gary and Melinda quickly discover that when a baby's life is on the line, it doesn't really matter whether or not you have a painted room. Amazon iTunes ![]() ON SALE MAY 13- MAY 21 0.99 Johnny, an IT geek, still lives at home with his parents. When his brother and sister-in-law help a sick friend, he gets coerced into babysitting his two year old niece, Zoe, on a weekly basis. Johnny reluctantly takes on the challenge with humourous and often near-disastrous results. Over time, Zoe's independence-seeking and outgoing personality inspires Johnny to try to improve his health, his fashion sense and even his love life. However, after a couple of setbacks, Johnny wonders if it’s worth the effort and retreats to his former habits. Can Zoe show him the way to true love? Amazon iTunes ![]() ON SALE MAY 13- MAY 21 0.99 Wings is a stirring, cross-generational account of the love of flying inspired by the true story of Walt, a WWII RAF pilot, and his grandson Scott who has his sights set on becoming a modern day airline pilot. Wings weaves together two tales: one set in war-torn northern England, and the other set in the modern-day Illawarra region of New South Wales. As Scott learns about the sacrifices and difficulties Walt overcame to take to the sky, he battles his own challenges in order to follow his dream. As Scott progresses, his grandfather declines – Walt loses his wife, his sight and his hearing – but throughout these difficulties is still there to offer support and encouragement. In following Scott's progress towards his dream, Walt also keeps alive the wonder of his own youth. With insights into the modern day aviation scene and life in the Royal Air Force of World War II, this is a must for anyone who has an interest in history, aviation or simply an old fashioned love story. Amazon iTunes ![]() ON SALE MAY 13- MAY 21 0.99 A devastating breakup leaves Yasmine Phillips in shambles. Unable to trust another man with her heart, she focuses on the one thing she can control—starting her own business. When her computer crashes, taking months of hard work with it, she must rely on computer genius Zachariah Givens to save her. A complete opposite of men from her past, she doesn't expect the passion that ensues. But just as she finds happiness, she learns the truth about the other women in Zachariah's life. Amazon iTunes ![]() ON SALE MAY 18- JUNE 1 $1.99 Professor Rebecca Stanley-Wilson is having a very bad season. Her husband has just admitted to having an affair. And it was with one of her students. Blame it on a desire for revenge (or way too much alcohol), she then has had one of her own. Unfortunately for her, her affair was with one of the great upcoming painters of his generation. The ramifications of that one torrid evening will not only be felt across her life but over the entire art world. Sexy, funny, and very surprising, Permanent Spring Showers is the tale of one very memorable springtime and how it impacts a group of unique artists and dreamers. From the writer who is creating a new literary movement (through outright manipulation), to the hopeful Olympian with the failing marriage, to the romantic wondering what he did wrong to drive his love from him, each tale walks the line between reality and fantasy. And waiting at the end of the line is a very important painting… and possibly the revolver used in the Lincoln Assassination. Amazon iTunes Join Railyn Stone's blog where she's writing: STAY THE COURSE.
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