Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Romantic Times Convention...and Mr. Romance!

I'll be attending the Romantic Time's Book Lovers Convention in Orlando, Florida, from April 22-26, 2009. You can read more about this fabulous reader's event here: http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?i=D5EAF74A-2974-4576-90AD-F1E39D41E9F4

Here's my schedule of appearances that I've worked out so far:

On Thursday, April 23, from 8:00 pm to 12:00 am, I will be attending the Faery Ball as part of the Faery Court. I will be a Seelie (one of the good faeries ;}) and will be dressed as a Victorian Faery inspired by my Relics of Merlin series. You can meet all the fae, good & bad, here: http://www.thefaerycourt.com/faerycourtindex.html

On Saturday, April 25, I will be signing books at the Giant Book Fair from 11:00 to 2:00 pm.
On that same day, from 5:00-7:00 pm I will be attending the Mr. Romance competition (more about that below!)
Then from 8:00-9:00 pm I will be at the Dorchester Authors Mixer
And then from 9:00 pm to until-I-keel-over I'll be at Dorchester's Splashing by the Shore Dance Party

Now, a bit about the Mr. Romance contest. Dorchester Publishing is again sponsoring this competition, where one lucky winner will have the opportunity to model for a Dorchester romance cover. The models will be portraying the heroes from several books...and my hero from Enchanting the Beast (book 3 in the Relics of Merlin series) has been chosen! This is my very first RT conference, and how wonderful it will be to see my hero brought to life. I can hardly wait!

Here's the mini character write up I did for the model:

Sir Nicodemus Wulfson
Basics: Goes by Nico. Wears Victorian clothing: Black frock coat, waistcoat, black trousers and boots, all a bit worn and frayed. His cravat is often undone and just slung around his neck with his white linen shirt half-buttoned. He rarely wears a hat. His hair is long and often shaggy, slung over his forehead and eyes, as if to hide his thoughts from others.
Nico info: Nico is a were-wolf, whose beast enjoys the thrill of the hunt and the taste of his kill, which often worries the man. He swims nude in moonlit glades and is more comfortable in the forest than his own castle. He goes after what he wants with single-minded ruthlessness. He cannot be tamed, but he can be gentled, and the right woman for him will have to meet his predatory gaze without fear.

;}

Enchanting the Beast will be released around the time of the RT convention, and hot off the presses from my publisher.

I was already incredibly excited about attending my first RT, and now I'm just over the moon! If you live in Florida, or are attending the event yourself, I do hope I meet you there!

Sunday, March 29, 2009

"Share the Magic"

I attended a luncheon yesterday called "Share the Magic", and no, it didn't have anything to do with fantasy. It was all about the harsh realities of the real world and the wonderful people who create true magic.

It was the Arizona Beta Sigma Phis 10th anniversay luncheon against domestic abuse. This is a small group of dedicated women and men who primarily raise funds for several domestic violence shelters and to help those who are victims of domestic abuse. Along with a wonderful lunch, they had silent auctions, a jewelry shop and plenty of raffles to raise funds. They also had the Arizona Swing Kids for entertainment, who sang and danced to tunes through the years. The little ones were adorable as they grabbed people from the audience and danced with them.

It was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon, and I highly recommend it. To find out more about AzBSPADA and the programs they support you can visit: http://www.azbspada.org/
And to find out more about the Swing Kids you can visit: http://www.theswingkids.org/
(Err, the coordinator just happens to share the same name with a past president.)

Friday, March 27, 2009

A Lovely Review for ENCHANTING THE BEAST


Magical storytelling!

"ENCHANTING THE BEAST is quite simply magical! Kathryne Kennedy brings together wonderful characters in a fairy tale setting in which romance, magic, and adventure are center stage. Kathryne Kennedy weaves together all the elements of a reader's favorite fairy tales with unique and unforgettable originality. Lady Philomena and Sir Nico are perfectly matched not only romantically, but together, each unleashes the goodness and magic within the other. Lady Philomena's entourage of the ghost guide Tup and her were-servant Sarah endear the heart with smiles and deep-felt emotion from beginning to end. Adventurous subplots lead the reader down fascinating journeys full of delightful twists as Lady Philomena and Sir Nico explore both the inner castle below and the inner spirit that lurks within. ENCHANTING THE BEAST --- indeed all The Relics of Merlin romances to date --- have a special quality that no writing class can ever teach. Kathryne Kennedy is a natural storyteller, a storyteller who weaves the love of storytelling into each tale. Each word flows from the other, each image opens a new world, a new emotion. ENCHANTING THE BEAST has a perfect balance of entertaining lightness to sweep the reader away, yet enough depth to move the heart. Fans of The Relics of Merlin series will discover a new delight as ENCHANTING THE BEAST expands the breadth of the series into new yet also familiar territory. If you have not discovered Kathryne Kennedy's romances yet, you are truly missing out."

To read the full review, visit:

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

2009 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence


I'm delighted to say that book one in the Relics of Merlin series, Enchanting the Lady, is a finalist in the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence contest. This is quite an honor to be chosen, as there were many wonderful books and talented authors entered.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Contest Winner



I have a lovely email from the winner of my last 'magical' jewel contest:

HI Kathryne,

The wonderful necklace has arrived and I got to wear it last night... not out but to watch TV with my hubby.

I'm so excited to have something new to wear out.

Hugs and wishing you the best,

Tam

Monday, March 9, 2009

Another Advance Review for ENCHANTING THE BEAST

Title: ENCHANTING THE BEAST
Series: Relics of Merlin
Author: Kathryne Kennedy
Publisher: Dorchester Love Spell
Release Date: May 1, 2009
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Victorian Fantasy Romance
ISBN 978-0-505-52764-6

One returns to magical Victorian England in the third book of the Relics of Merlin series—ENCHANTING THE BEAST and the beast here is the classic were-wolf and alpha male at that.
Were-wolf Sir Nicodemus Wulfson, the Baronet of Grimspell Castle convinces ghost-hunter Philomena Radcliff to visit his castle to help his troubled brother. It is revealed that Nico’s grim home is haunted by ghosts who’ve recently become angry and were venting their feelings on the sensitive Royden Wulfson. It takes all of Phil’s considerable power to find the cause of the disturbance even as she is enthralled by the much younger Nico’s animal magnetism. To add to the confusion is the fact that the gorgeous Nico is rumored to have killed his fiancée in the enchanted woods that surround his castle.

While the entire book is wonderful and filled with interesting shape shifters my favorite scenes in the book involved Phil’s spirit guide Tup, the ghost of a London street kid. Tup’s scenes are adorable and very entertaining—be it his interactions with Phil, his playing with the tenant farmer’s children, or his tireless effort to help Phil and Nico find the final piece of the puzzle haunting Nico’s home and brother!

What’s truly awesome is the climax of the book. Phil faces down not only a monstrous but also many ghosts to retrieve the powerful relic of this tale—a truly awesome moment in the never-ending power struggle between good and evil. The headiness of control over vast resources is mind-blowing. That scene is Kathryn Kennedy’s best writing yet. One can feel the power and the enormity of the choice before Phil.

ENCHANTING THE BEAST is a definite keeper! Don’t miss it and don’t miss the other 10 future books of this series for if the first three books are any indication the rest will definitely keep the reader enthralled and enchanted!

Reviewed by Raakhee Suryaprakash
Writers and Readers of Distinctive fiction (URL http://romancewriterandreader.ning.com/profile/Raakhee)
http://blog.lyndacoker.net/

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Advance Review for ENCHANTING THE BEAST

ENCHANTING THE BEAST - Kathryne Kennedy
Relics of Merlin, Book 3
Love Spell
ISBN-10: 0-505-52764-2
ISBN-13: 978-0-505-52764-6
May 2009 Paranormal Romance

Trollersby, the surrounding area, and London, England - 1861

     Sir Nicodemus Wulfson's brother Royden thinks their home is haunted. Roy's health and well-being have been compromised by these "ghosts", and so, Nico finds himself in London hunting someone who can convince Roy the spirits have been sent away. Being a baronet and a were-wolf, Nico is immune to magic and thus not much inclined to believe in such things, but when he meets Lady Philomena Radcliff, ghost-hunter, he finds something, or rather, someone, he's definitely not immune to.

Philomena is more than willing to help Nico and his brother, and with her assistant Sarah (were-snake) journeys to Grimspell Castle to do her best to ferret out the reason for the recent disturbances. However, the ghosts in residence seem reticent to communicate, making her job a difficult one. Then, of course, there's Nico and the constant distraction he provides. The man is an utter Adonis, and he seems to be a bit overenthusiastic in his attentions to her person. In fact, if she didn't know exactly how unlikely a scenario it is, Phil would be certain the young man wants her in a very intimate way.

Nico's human side isn't the only one interested in Phil; his wolf finds her intriguing as well. Can he convince Phil that true love can occur between an older spinster and the young man who appreciates her for all that she is? And then there are the ghosts in Grimspell Castle, just what is their agenda?

Nico, like many men, has secrets. In his case, it's the knowledge that his former fiancée appears to have been killed by a wolf. Nico lost control for a while after her death and fears he could lose his humanity entirely if the circumstances are right. Could Phil's talent for ENCHANTING THE BEAST keep them both safe, or will his beast turn on them both as he might have done once before? Phil may be a spinster, but her talent has given her insight into the ways of passion (her home is a former brothel with a very instructive ghost in residence). Unfortunately, Phil is convinced that society would never allow a lady of her age to marry a man of Nico's. Luckily, Phil is at heart a sensible woman, and I feel sure that with Nico's persistent nature, she'll realize that true love should never be denied, no matter the circumstances.

Sarah is a loyal and true friend to Phil. She doesn't hesitate to protect Phil with her life when the situation warrants it, and she's one of the reasons Nico realizes so quickly that Phil is a special woman. After all, most non-weres aren't exactly comfortable around weres, and Phil has completely embraced Sarah and her idiosyncrasies. Edwina, daughter of Lord Magift (the local magistrate and Baron of Bargest House) is Royden's wife. Edwina is insecure at best and worries about the day when Nico takes a wife and she loses her position as mistress of Grimspell. Nico's brother Royden is a man with a terrible burden (and no, I'm not talking about Edwina, though that case could be made). The ghosts are trying to impart a message to Roy, and if Phil can't figure out what it is, Roy's very life may be at stake. Sir Edgar Hexword and his daughter Jane are fellow were-wolves and members of Nico's pack. Sir Edgar has a great fondness for history. Jane, beautiful young thing that she is, has that same fondness for Nico. She thinks she's the right mate for Nico, and Phil isn't certain she's wrong. Last, but not least, I must mention Tup. A ghost boy from the streets of London, he's Phil's spiritual guide and pseudo son. It's obvious he and Phil love each other, and it's a fortunate circumstance that he's able to follow her to Grimspell and aid her in her investigation.

Like the rest of the Relics of Merlin series, ENCHANTING THE LADY (January 2008) and DOUBLE ENCHANTMENT (September 2008), this book has been written in such a way that you need not read the others to understand the plot. One of the best books I've read this year, ENCHANTING THE BEAST cannot fail to capture your imagination with its fully developed characters and the magical world they inhabit. Don't miss it! It's a keeper, and you'll be up all night reading it!

Lori Ann
Romance Reviews Today
http://www.romrevtoday.com/