Gifts of Winter – Metaphors, Top Ten Lists and Parties!

Jeffe Kennedy / / Blog

Fotor20141209I’m over at Here Be Magic, celebrating our Winter Paranormal Week and talking about how winter serves as a metaphor in The Twelve Kingdoms books.

The Literary Escapism blog is hosting me today with their Black Friday party and ongoing giveaway – I offer up what Princess Amelia, of The Tears of the Rose, might put on her shopping list.

Finally, I have to share that Regina Small of RT Book Reviews picked  The Tears of the Rose as one of her Top Ten Books of 2014 – along with Amy Poehler’s book! Is there anything better than having a really smart reviewer say wonderful, insightful things about your book? YES! Having her make a comparison to Buffy the Vampire Slayer! This is what she says:

The Tears of the Rose by Jeffe Kennedy —  It is a truth universally acknowledged that I’m a sucker for spoiled, sheltered heroines who lose it all, and then have to find their own way in the wilderness. (Think Cordelia Chase’s brilliant character arc in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel.) At the beginning of The Tears of the Rose, beautiful pampered princess Amelia is in mourning over the loss of her husband. While this is undeniably a romance — spoilers: Ash is hot — Kennedy gives Ami something even more important than a partner: a purpose. And Ami’s transition into a woman with a richer inner life is so complex and well done; Ami never stops loving her fallen husband, Hugh, but she recognizes that her love for him belongs to a different, more innocent life. With Hugh, she was a child; with Ash, she is a woman.
 
Pretty wonderful, huh?

USA Today, What I’m Working on and the Loch Ness Monster

Jeffe Kennedy / / Blog

2014-12-05 06.50.25Yesterday we enjoyed a long, gentle, soaking rain. Which means this morning we awoke to our typically dry high-desert transformed by an ocean of fog. I felt as if I’d been transported to Inverness and was tempted to hike down to Loch Ness and see if I could spot the monsters.

I’m over at USA Today with an interview about THE TWELVE KINGDOMS you might want to check out. And I have a post at the Contemporary Romance Cafe, talking about what I’m working on and how my agent helps me shape that.

Creating a Mythology

Jeffe Kennedy / / Blog
The Mark of the Tala
The Mark of the Tala

A serendipitous shot as the setting sun sent rays of light across my desk and lit up the globe that Kensington gave me with the cover of THE MARK OF THE TALA inside. If I’d been thinking, I would have turned it around to show the flip side, with the cover of last week’s release and the sequel, THE TEARS OF THE ROSE. The glow lasted barely long enough for me to grab my phone and snap. Ah well, so goes serendipity. 

One of my favorite bits of feedback lately on THE TEARS OF THE ROSE, was when my longtime friend, Kev, commented this on my release day post:

There was an absolutely gorgeous sunrise today. I looked West and the mountains were this perfectly lovely shade of pink against a slightly lighter pink sky. I felt strongly compelled to sketch some circles in the air, but my Lutheran upbringing wouldn’t quite allow it.

If you haven’t read the book yet, that’s a reference to the observances of the goddess Glorianna, which occur ritually at sunrise and sunset, when her circle is drawn in the air. And her color is pink.

There’s something wonderfully invigorating about hearing comments like this, knowing that something you wrote went into another person’s mind deeply enough to invoke this impulse. Even if it wasn’t enough to overcome that childhood programming, alas! Inventing this mythology of the three goddesses came about organically as part of writing the story. I hadn’t anticipated that would even be a factor of the world as I began writing Andi’s story in THE MARK OF THE TALA. While all three goddesses – Glorianna, Moranu and Danu – make an appearance in the first book, in the sequel, THE TEARS OF THE ROSE, part of Ami’s journey is finding her place as an avatar of Glorianna. So I ended up exploring the mysticism and influence of the goddesses much more. I even wrote an entire myth! B3xuAqfCcAA-_mq

In writing book 3, THE TALON OF THE HAWK, I found myself inventing a martial arts system for my warrior princess Ursula, one that stems from the teachings of Danu. Speaking of which, if you love the cover as much as I do, Addicted to Heroines is running contest to choose the Hottest Heroine from among eight covers and THE TALON OF THE HAWK is one. You can vote daily, even!

(As if you have nothing better to do with your life… but the option is there!)

MistletoeMadness-388399_200x200At any rate, playing with this mythology was so fun that I even wrote an extra bit for Jen Twimom’s holiday Mistletoe Madness event on That’s What I’m Talking About.  The post is here and is told from Ami’s point of view about their observation of the Feast of Moranu on the winter solstice. That was a kick to write also. I’m sure it contains many familiar elements that you all will recognize, but it still felt special to me.

Glorianna’s blessings on you all!

 

Three Ways for Authors to Pay It Forward

Jeffe Kennedy / / Blog

the talon of the hawkI just love this cover for book 3 in my Twelve Kingdoms series, with my warrior-princess, Ursula, looking all badass in The Talon of the Hawk. So it’s very cool that Addicted to Heroines has it up in round one of their Hottest Heroines Cover Contest. You can vote for it if you like!

I’m over at Word Whores, talking about good karma and how to help others.

A Great Big Thank You – and Giveback

Jeffe Kennedy / / Blog

B3UC_XVIYAAE9_II’m over at Here Be Magic, offering a very special Thank You giveaway. And being thankful in general for the whirlwind release day yesterday. You all are so wonderful – I’m overwhelmed.

Happy Thanksgiving to my U.S. cohort – and I hope the rest of you find some time to indulge in good food, better company and an excellent book!