Five Star Review for CRUSHED SUGAR!

CRUSHED at I Heart YA Books

YA Decadent Blog Stomp: Bitter Roses

Good morning, Blog Buds!  It's my turn for the blog stomp.  Please scroll to the bottom or click on the Blog Stom icon on the sidebar to the left to learn how you can enter the daily drawings and the Grand Prize drawing for the loaded KINDLE!  
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Looking around at all the wonderful YA Authors I hang out with at Decadent got me thinking about why I write Young Adult in the first place.  Well, at first, I didn't.  I had no idea what I wrote.  I just had big stories in my head and I wrote them down.  It wasn't until people started critting them for me over at Critique Circle  , people like Sara Gwen  who was a teenager at the time, that I started getting feedback about having a 'voice' best suited to writing for teens.  Duh.  So, I worked on toning that voice and packaging my stories for that audience. 
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So, why is my voice best suited for teens?  My personal opinion is my lack of Bitter Roses.  What I mean by that is Adults seem to go through a change at around age 20 (scientifically speaking, this is the age at which the human brain stops growing) and they begin to look back on their childhood and adolescence either in Bitterness or through Rose-Colored Glasses.  Their ability to Think and Feel as their younger selves diminishes dramatically. (I've seen a similar thing happen around age 40, but that's for a different post.)
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This diminishing never happened for me.
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Here's a song to demonstrate what I mean:
'When I Grow Up' by the Beach Boys
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As I was saying, I still Think and Feel childhood and adolescence, which is undoubtedly why I was a Childcare Professional for years and years before having my own four children and finally becoming a published YA author.
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And there's another thing.  My childhood and teens were far from ideal.  I've read that other authors, most notably J.K. Rowling  write for young people as a way to recapture childhood, because their own was not-so-good.  I know I'm nowhere near the calibur of author Rowling is, but I think I've learned something she has too and I've learned to infuse my stories with it.  You can either let Pain fester into Bitterness and end up miserable.  Or, you can turn Pain on its ear and become Empathetic to those who suffer similarly.  This is why the heroine of the Ophelia Dawson Chronicles is an Empath.  It's a supernatural ability for her, but any human can learn empathy by really seeing and feeling for those around her, and then acting in a compassionate way.  I'm not saying I've arrived at that, but my journey in life is taking me there.
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Commenters on today’s post are entered to win a Decadent title of their choice. In addition, all commenters will be entered into Decadent’s grand prize drawing. There’s some great stuff to win, so please enter today and enter often!
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Kimber An

CRUSHED SUGAR Reviewed

Got Romance Reviews  Caution:  This is an over-18 site.

Four Stars for CRUSHED at Night Owl!

CRUSHED at Night Owl

Dottie Reviews CRUSHED!

At Tink's Place

Jess Wins!

Jess won the Grand Prize Drawing celebrating the release of my prequel novella, Crushed Sugar.  Besides the cool Alaska stuff and a free copy of Crushed, she gets a t-shirt with Bianca's famous words from the end of Sugar Rush-.
What do you need?  A good bite on the neck?
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If you're interested in getting your own t-shirts, please pop over to my CafePress store.  I make no profit from the sales.  The shirts are sold at cost.  Lately, I haven't been able to access it on my computer.  I think my browser's the problem.  If you have trouble seeing my page on CafePress, please let me know so I can email the site and get it fixed.  Thank you!  Here's the link-
T-Shirts for Diabes & Blood-Sucking Dead Guys

The Drawing is Now Closed!

The winner will be announced as soon as she confirms.  A Big THANK YOU to everyone!

Last Day for Grand Prize Drawing

Check out the Crushed Sugar's Release Day Post  to learn the details and comment under this post or that one to be entered.  The drawing will be held tonight at 6 p.m. Alaska Time.  The winner will be announced after he or she is notified and confirmed.  Thanks to everyone who helped make this release a blast!

Mighty Jesse Reviews CRUSHED

The Amazon reviews are starting.  Mighty Jesse just posted hers.  Thank you, Jesse!
Mighty Jesse's Review of CRUSHED SUGAR at Amazon
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Hey, if you've reviewed CRUSHED or SUGAR RUSH, I'd really appreciate it if you reposted your review at Amazon! 

Thanks for an Awesome Release Party for CRUSHED!

The contests here and at Blog Buddies and reviewers' sites are ongoing with different closing dates.  The Grand Prize Drawing here is on Wednesday, March 30th.  Scroll down to check out all the stuff and links.  Now, I must get back to work on the next full-length novel in the series, Sweet Bytes.  I also have another shorter tale in mind, but I don't know if it'll fly yet.
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Brace yourselves, Blog Buds.  Tomorrow's Monday.
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Four Star Review for CRUSHED

Thank you, Siobhan! CRUSHED at LoveFantasySciFiNovels

Jen's Reviews of CRUSHED and SUGAR RUSH Up At LovLivLife Reviews

Pop on over 'cause this one's got a drawing for a free copy of CRUSHED.  CRUSHED and SUGAR RUSH at LovLivLife Reviews

Heather's Showcase for CRUSHED at the Galaxy Express

Thanks a bunch, Heather!
CRUSHED at the Galaxy Express

Kimber Guests at Nayu's Reading Corner

We're talking about secondary characters.  The Necessity of Bianca I included three little snippets from Sugar Rush, Crushed, and the next novel, SWEET BYTES.

Jen Reviews CRUSHED

Jen's Review of CRUSHED SUGAR!   and    Jen's Review of SUGAR RUSH!
Thanks, Jen!

Release Day for CRUSHED SUGAR, a prequel novella by Kimber An

Good morning, Blog Buddies!  The glorious day has arrived.  I am officially an author with a backlist.  CRUSHED is my second published book.  I'm finally on my way to being Jane Yolen when I grow up. 
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Several of my cyberspace buddies are shouting me out today, including fellow Decadent author Julie Particka , bestselling Fantasy author Lisa Shearin,  and some Facebook friends, and maybe on Twitter too.  If you shout about CRUSHED, please let me know and I'll link to your site.  Pop over to my Media Kit for Bloggers  if you need anything. 
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Rebecca Lynn over at New Kids on the Writers' Block and Nayu's Writing Corner  and  Tia Nevitt  are having contests to give away free copies of CRUSHED. 
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But, I'm giving away the Grand Prize right here at Enduring Romance.  This prize includes a free copy of CRUSHED SUGAR, plus a t-shirt, and these two very cool Alaskan things-

The wooden Orca is obviously a key chain.  The little pictures are *stickers* meant for use in scrapbooking.  They're puffy and raised and can be used for anything really.  They're not 'little kid' stickers!   All you need to do to enter is comment under this post and leave your email.
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*Contest Ends March 30th at 6 p.m. Alaskan Time!*
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Now, to kick off this celebration, I've posted a new excerpt from CRUSHED SUGAR-
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CRUSHED Excerpt: Ophelia Meets Tristan
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But, if you can't contain your excitement (please, God!) pop over to the Decadent website to buy and downly CRUSHED SUGAR right now!  I don't know why, but it's cheaper there.  I do know I receive a larger royalty if you buy it there, because secondary places like Amazon gets their cut.  Here's my buy page at Decadent-
CRUSHED SUGAR at Decadent
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I was surprised to find that CRUSHED is already up at Amazon and Smashwords, so if you prefer either of them, go for it.  Here's the link to Amazon-
CRUSHED SUGAR at Amazon

And just for good measure, here's the link to my About CRUSHED SUGAR Page.
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Thanks so much to everyone for your encouragement and help!

Nayu Review's CRUSHED!

CRUSHED at Nayu's Reading Corner

Leslie Soule's Shout-Out for CRUSHED!

Thank you, Leslie!
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CRUSHED at Leslie's Dusty Rose Blog
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If you have a blog, Facebook, or Twitter account and feel so inclined, I'd really appreciate a shout-out for CRUSHED!  Let me know and I'll blab about it on all my sites too.  Here's a couple of links for info you might find helpful-
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About Crushed Sugar
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Kimber An's Media Kit for Bloggers
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CRUSHED SUGAR will be released tomorrow, Friday, March 25th.
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Thanks a whole bunch!

Blood-Sucking Dead Guys

I'm hanging out with longtime blog buddy, Tia Nevitt today.  Pop over and join the conversation.  Comment and be entered to win a free copy of CRUSHED SUGAR.

CRUSHED SUGAR Release Week Festivities

My *prequel* novella, Crushed Sugar, is due to be released this Friday, March 25th by Decadent Publishing.  The most important thing to remember about Crushed, especially if you've already read Sugar Rush, is that it is a PREQUEL.  This means its set BEFORE the first events of Sugar Rush.  The thing is I really wanted to release Crushed first, but Sugar Rush was more ready to go.  I just didn't have time to do Crushed Sugar justice in the editing department before Sugar Rush.  So, please, bear in mind that the villain, Martin, is fully human at the start of Crushed, he's always been nice to Ophelia, the heroine, and she has no idea what he will become.
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Yeah, I guess I am a little paranoid about that!  But, just look what happened to George Lucus and the Star Wars prequels!  Those little buggers are hard to write.  Pop over to my main site to learn more- Kimber An
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On Release Day, I will be posting a nice big announcement here.  Plus, a bunch of my blog buddies are hosting me in the coming weeks and some of them will be giving away free eBooks of Crushed.  AND!  I will be giving away a Grand Prize here, a free eBook of Crushed Sugar, a t-shirt, and these cool Alaskan thingys I just bought today.  Anyone who comments under Release Week posts, starting with this one, will be entered into the drawing.  The Grand Prize Winner will be announced Wednesday, March 30th.

I'll be stopping over at Tia Nevitt's Blog   on Wednesday, March 23rd to talk about my spin on Blood-Sucking Dead Guys.
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The lovely Lisa Shearin  is graciously letting me take up space at her blog on Release Day, Friday, March 25th.
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I'll be adding to the Ramblings of a YA Writer with Julie Particka   same day.
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Heather Massey, brand new debut author, will be helping me reach for the stars at The Galaxy Express
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And fellow Decadent author Vanessa Barger said she'd give me a shout-out too.  She co-blogs here one Saturday of the month, by the way.
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Fellow Enduring Romance reviewer, Nayuleska, is hosting me at her blog, Nayu's Reading Corner  on Saturday, and I'll be popping in at the SFR Brigade   too.  And then I'll post here on Sunday, rounding up the week.
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The Grand Prize Drawing Winner will be announced Wednesday, March 30th.
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I'll post an excerpt of Crushed this Wednesday, March 23rd, but, for now, here is the blurb-
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Be careful what you wish for.

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Ophelia’s had a wicked crush on Martin since they were kids, but she was always just his geeky little friend.  Then, on the first day of her junior year, he’s suddenly and wildly attracted to her.  She can’t imagine what’s changed, but shocking her small school’s social order fills her with vindication for insults suffered.

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Ophelia meets Adrian right after and true love extinguishes the wicked crush.  In secret, he gives her courage against a specter threat.

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Tristan Li is pale and hungry, and draws Martin’s immediate ire.  He knows things about Ophelia which she assumes are delusions brought on by an aggravated illness like her own, diabetes.  When battle breaks out between his ancient race and new blood, even the courage of her secret love might be crushed.