Endings

The final pages of a good romance have me racing to reach The End. When I do, I close the book and heave a satisfied sigh.

And then I feel a strange sense of loss. After all, I've spent hours with the couple, getting to know them. At times I feared for them. Other times I cheered for them.

But they've reached their Happy Ever After, and I must move on to the next story.

The same is true in my writing world. I work hard on a story, wait a year or more for it to hit the shelves and then enjoy the joyful frenzy that is release month.

My first Love Inspired Historical was officially released on June second. I participated in a successful Book Release Party on Facebook along with the other June LIH authors, hosted a highly successful look Book Launch at the very rail depot where the hero and heroine in Family of Her Dreams met, was a guest on sixteen blogs, gave away many copies of my books and met lots of enthusiastic readers. I was crazy busy, but I had a blast.

But now the month is drawing to a close. The June titles will still be available online, but the focus will soon shift to the July titles.

My book's time in the spotlight is over, but I have a host of happy memories. Reality has returned, with my days spent working on my next story in solitude, but I'm content. That is the ebb and flow of a writer's life.

How do you feel when something you've anticipated for a long time is over?

Getting a Fresh Start

Keli Gwyn here to talk about new beginnings. I'm experiencing my exciting start as a Love Inspired author this month. My first Love Inspired Historical, Family of Her Dreams, will hit shelves any day now. Be sure to see the giveaway below.

I've been though the thrill of a book release before. Barbour Publishing released my debut novel, A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California, in the summer of 2012.

Three years passed between my first and second contract offers, in which I felt like a One-Book Wonder. I came to dread the question, "What's next?" I'd give the eager reader a polite smile and assure her I was working on a new story I hoped would soon find a home.

It did!

On a memorable day in December 2013 my agent, Rachelle Gardner, called to tell me my dream of writing for Love Inspired Historical had come true. I did some serious happy dancing.

A First Sale is an incredible experience, but my second sale made me every bit as happy. I fell in love with the sweet Harlequin romances of the 70's when I was a teen and dreamed of writing stories like them. Here I am forty years later doing just that.

Some things are worth waiting for. That's a lesson Tess Grimbsy, the heroine in my first LIH, Family of Her Dreams, has to learn. She arrives in the small town of Shingle Springs, California eager to land a job as Spencer Abbott's housekeeper. The trouble is, she was dismissed by her previous employer.

Recently widowed with two small children, Spencer needs help, but he's hesitant to welcome another woman into his home. Even so, he gives Tess the opportunity to show him what she can do.

Tess embraces the fresh start she's been given, pouring her heart into caring for Spencer's two young children and his home. Along the way, she develops feelings for her grieving employer, but he's not ready to marry again. Will he ever be? And would he even consider her if he was?

I'm giving away an autographed copy of Family of Her Dreams
to one blog visitor with a US address.

To enter the drawing, leave a comment
with your answer to the question below.

 What fresh starts have you experienced in your life?

  

I'll choose a winner tomorrow and post the name here.

Be sure to leave your email address when prompted so I can contact you if you win.
Please don't leave any personal information in the comment itself.
We don't want spammers to get it and trouble you. 

 

A Family to Cherish

Headstrong Tess Grimsby loves her new job caring for the children of a recently widowed man. But she never imagined that she’d fall for her handsome employer. Yet Spencer Abbott is as caring as he is attractive, and Tess can’t help but feel for him and his family. Though, for the sake of her job, she’ll keep any emotions about her boss to herself.

Between his stationmaster responsibilities in a Gold-Rush town and trying to put his family back together, Spencer has his hands full. He soon finds his new hire’s kind personality warming his frosty exterior. But could he ever admit to seeing her as more than just an employee?

Copyright © 2015 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
Cover art and cover copy used by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises Limited.
® and ™ are trademarks owned by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
or its affiliated companies, used under license.

Following Your Favorite Authors on Amazon

Keli Gwyn here with a confession. I can be slow at times. That's especially true when technology is involved. A cyber whiz I'm not.

Since the release of my first Love Inspired Historical, Family of Her Dreams, is getting closer, I thought it would be wise to update my Amazon author page. After all, June will be here before we know it.

I typed my name in the search bar, and up came my beautiful cover. Doesn't the Love Inspired design team do great work?

I clicked on my name. My author page appeared, complete with my smiling face.

As is often the case when I revisit a profile page after some time away, I discover things have changed, usually for the better. That was the case this time.

Just below my picture, there is now a "follow" button. I clicked it, not sure what would happen. The word "follow" became "following." That was it.

Or so I thought.

A few weeks went by, and I received an email telling me that Keli Gwyn has a new book coming out. Yup! Amazon was telling me about my upcoming release. How cool is that?

I've since become a fan of the "follow" button. I've visited the Amazon pages of my favorite authors and clicked away. I'm eagerly awaiting a flood of emails letting me know when more of the stories I love will be available.

Did you know about the Amazon "follow" button, or am I the last person to figure out how this nifty feature works?

Colorful Characters

by Keli Gwyn (@KeliGwyn)

I love creating characters. Some could be classified as colorful, in the lively, interesting or exciting sense of the word, but that's not what I'm talking about today.

The colorful characters on my mind are those who love color--in some cases a particular color.

Men in the Victorian Era, the period my stories take place, had few color choices. They wore a lot of black and white, which can get pretty boring.

Women, on the other, enjoyed the expanding array of fabrics and colors available, enabling me to have fun clothing them.

Tess, the heroine of my first Love Inspired Historical, Family of Her Dreams, coming June 2015, loves blue. It's pretty much the only color she wears. I have a hunch that's the color she'll be wearing on the cover that's currently in the development stage.

Blue used to be my favorite color, too, but as you can see from this picture of my closet, purple has captivated me. I wear all shades, from a deep violet to a light lavender and from a bold fuchsia to a muted mauve. I throw in black as my base color.

How about you? Do you wear a variety of colors, or are you partial to a certain one?

The Thrill of a Terrific Title

by Keli Gwyn

After months of waiting, my first Love Inspired Historical has a title! Family of Her Dreams will be released June 2015.

My story was contracted this past December. For nine l-o-n-g months I waited to find out what it would be called. I wondered if it the title would be one of those I'd suggested, if it would fit the story and if I'd like it.

The answer to all of those questions is a resounding yes.

I sent my editor over a dozen possible titles. She shared the list with the Love Inspired team. They picked one of them. Since choosing titles isn't my strong suit, I was surprised and pleased.

My story is about a woman raised in an orphanage since the age of three. All her life she's dreamed about one thing: having a family of her own. Family of Her Dreams does an excellent job conveying that.

I not only like the title. I love it! As my writing partner said, the words family and dreams are "evocative and powerful." I agree.

I've long been a fan of Love Inspired and have admired their titles and covers. They do such a great job with both. I have one and can't wait for the other. It won't be long now.

Of all the Love Inspired titles you've seen, which stand out as your favorites?