Writing

Summer Fun and a Secret!

by Kristen James

It’s a bit ironic to talk about summer right now because it’s been rainy here in Oregon for the last week. At least it’s been a warm rain, and we needed it, so I’m not complaining…too loudly. But I am looking forward to the change predicted for tomorrow. Summer is coming back, just in time for a family reunion and camping trip.

I need a break, too. Every year I look forward to the kids’ summer vacation, thinking I’ll have lots of free time to catch up. Then we have the end of baseball and softball season, a garden to plant and get going, yard work, and inevitably lots of other things that pop up. Plus it’s hard to focus on any kind of inside work when I’m itching to go hiking, swimming and berry picking. I joined Zumba, and after only four classes, I’m addicted. I looked up videos online because two classes a week aren’t enough! I also went roller skating with the kids last night, and we want to do that more.

With so much going on, I’ve been doing more “idea work” than actual writing. Which is okay—I have a new release out! Point Hope is out on Kindle and the paperback will be available within days. The first review called it “a happy tear-jerker.”  It went on to say, “Despite dealing with issues such as death, survivor’s guilt, and PTSD, this still manages to be a lovely romantic story. You can’t help liking the family at the center of the story.” Have you read it yet? I’d love to hear your thoughts! My teenage daughter just read it and loved it, which always means a lot to me.

So I am writing here and there… I’ve worked a little on A Wedding to Remember with Trent and Molly, and it’s shaping into more than I expected. A few other characters got ideas of their own, so I hope the story will have a good surprise for readers. It’s a novella, so I’m aiming to finish it by the end of July.

And here’s my secret. I also rediscovered an earlier work that’s been waiting for me. I mentioned on Facebook that I found a manuscript on my computer and suddenly wanted to finish it. I put it aside before with the feeling that it wasn’t focused enough. Now I can see it was just too big for me at the time, with at least four point of view characters and several story lines. It’s more like Point Hope than the shorter romances I was writing three years ago.

This new story is called Costa Rica. This is a rough blurb for the book:

It’s always been Annalisa and Drew’s dream to go to Costa Rica, but it’s always been talk. They spent years trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant, which slowly killed their marriage. Now she realizes Drew is planning to take another woman there on a “business trip.”

Annalisa and Drew have been best friends with Vincent and Melinda forever. Vincent’s cancer is back – his tumor is inoperable and he won’t do chemo again. The four of them have actually talked and talked about going to Costa Rica together for years, and Annalisa realizes it’s now or never. It’s perfect timing for Vincent to ask everyone to go to Costa Rica while he still can.

Annalisa very well could be saying goodbye to her marriage, a friend and her life as she knew it. But for now, they can have Costa Rica.

 Sound interesting? I plan to work on it this summer, but I expect that the main writing will take place once school starts in the fall. I don’t want to rush it, either. There’s so many layers I want to visit. Vincent and Melinda have two children who are dealing with their father’s cancer, and there’s different and complicated relationships between all of the friends.

A few random notes:

If you haven’t read The Cowboy Kiss, it’s free all summer long. I have a sequel idea for that story too, but I’m getting way too far ahead of myself!

I have a newsletter –  sign up here.   (Different than my blog subscription.) I use it to announce new books.  I’m having a giveaway this summer for all subscribers – a beach bag full of books! I’ll include some of my books, signed, and other good beach reads. Everyone who signs up is entered to win, no matter when you sign up.

Check out my Summer Giveaways to see how you can win a signed copy of Point Hope.

Happy Summer and happy reading!

Point Hope is out on Kindle and Print!

by Kristen James

Click here to preview and purchase on Kindle                       NOW AVAILABLE!

The mighty Pacific has a rugged, rough, unforgiving beauty—like Trey’s life.

 

After an IED brought his Navy career to an end, Trey became an EMT in his hometown of Coos Bay, Oregon. He struggles with PTSD, which affects his ability to do his job and connect with his family. His wife seems to be living life without him.

Rosette can’t figure out what happened to her marriage, or to Trey—the man she once so desperately loved. It feels like she’ll lose everything along with him. Meanwhile, he’s enclosed in his own world without her.

Their marriage is on its last legs when their family is faced with two deaths and an orphan. They’re already raising two young children and Trey’s teenage brother, Alex. Trey and Rosette make a shaky agreement: to play “family” for now so they can take care of Trey’s recently orphaned niece. But can faking it ever be enough?

It’s make-it or break-it time. If they split apart, who will raise Hope?

Read the first chapter.

Get it for Kindle here      Paperback

I’m so excited to share my latest novel with you–this is my biggest story yet. Point Hope is my longest novel, has a larger cast and more point of views. I so enjoyed working with the different people in the story, from the main couple Trey and Rosette, to teenager  Alex and troubled Summer. Several characters came to life and made the writing even more fun. It was an emotional journey, too, as writing all novels are.

If you’re from Coos Bay or have visited, you’ll recognize quite a few places and landmarks!

SNEAK PEEK:

Rosette awoke to the faint sound of Trey’s cell phone ringing downstairs. Funny how a mother wakes to the quietest noise, even a soft newborn cough. Thank the good Lord they were past those early years with the kids. She rolled over in bed to squint at the alarm clock.

It was midnight. Who would be calling him so late? It didn’t sound like he’d answered it, but he could be returning the call. Rosette sat up, feeling alternating chills and waves of heat, as she feathered out the suspicions creeping in. Did he think they’d already severed their tie, and he was now free to talk to other women?

The landline phone on the nightstand rang.

Her heart skipped a couple beats. Something had happened, she could feel it, but what could be worse than Ricky dying?

She always answered the phone with “hello,” but this time she picked up the phone and spoke with a shaky voice. “Yes?”

“Rosette?” a rough voice asked. Harry. Trey’s boss.

“Y-yes?”

“It’s Amanda. She has you and Trey down as her emergency contacts. We just brought her into the ER. We need you here right away. I tried Trey and couldn’t get him. Is he there?”

She said yes again and listened without hearing the rest of Harry’s words before ending the call.

OhMyGod OhMyGod OhMyGod. Rosette threw back the covers and ran out of the room, down the stairs, and into the living room, hitting the light switch on her way as she almost charged right into the couch.

She startled Trey so badly that he threw up his hands, flinching and turning away. Great. Not a  flashback now. She needed him.

“Amanda’s at the hospital. We need to go.”

He shielded his eyes from the light. “She’s in labor?”

A momentary relief sank through her, warm and comforting. Of course Amanda was just in labor. Why hadn’t she thought of that? Because Harry sounded… “I don’t know. Harry called and said she’s in the ER, and we need to get there right away.”

Writing Point Hope

by Kristen James

I constantly read, both novels and nonfiction books about how to write better. There are many on the craft of writing, and I look for anything that discusses how to tell a better story. Writing a novel takes good writing and good storytelling, which are two separate things. What’s the difference? I’d say at least 75% of the books out there have well constructed sentences, vivid description and correct grammar… you know, the things that make a piece of prose readable. However, a much smaller percentage tell a gripping story. You can write a well written paper about your fun day at the zoo, but that doesn’t mean the general public will pay money and spend time reading it.

Writing a page turner takes heart and passion for your storyline, your characters and your message. Yes, novels have a message! It’s that little thing that makes you stop and think after you finish the book. Often, it’s a simple but powerful message such as, “Yes, love does change us and help us through life.” It’s the human connection in the story. Some of this goes into the initial writing, and I’m finding the ‘message’ comes out more with the fine tuning and revising. More and more, I believe the stronger the message, the more successful the book will be. I don’t mean a preachy message, but just the feeling that the author has captured something about our experience and shared it. I can see it in the novels I love, and I can see how I’m developing that in my own writing. That’s what I’m aiming for now.

Some of the excellent writing books I’ve read challenge authors to look into why they are writing their novel. I used that to guide me in writing my current work in progress: Why am I writing this book?  Point Hope looks at what family really means, and what we’ll do for our families, and even what we’ll sacrifice for our kids and family. It can be about honor but you’ll find love there too. Family is the people who love you, the people you take in. This book, for me, goes even beyond that. I thought about, what can this book give people? What if people feel they missed something and are looking for it, like the characters?

Each character desperately needs something from the others – The Sinclairs are a close-knit family and depend on each other, even though things are falling apart. Trey and Rosette are on the brink of divorce, but they have kids depending on them. They’re also raising 16 year old Alex, Trey’s younger brother, before things get even more complicated. (Alex surprised me and became a very interesting character!)

I have more to say on the subject, but I don’t want to give the plot away just yet! I will say, I’ve put so much into this book that I almost worry I won’t anything left for the next book. I’m pouring in my heart and soul. But I have to trust that there are always new stories to tell and new characters to meet, so I can’t hold back while writing this one.

I’ll keep you updated with a firmer release date as we approach March!