First Cup of Coffee – June 5, 2023

Thoughts on learning to paint by numbers, or learn to follow the rules of craft before you break them. How I’m breaking my own rule, on epistolary romances, and a funny story about my granddaughter.

First Cup of Coffee with Jeffe Kennedy

First Cup of Coffee - June 5, 2023

June 05, 2023

Jeffe Kennedy

Thoughts on learning to paint by numbers, or learn to follow the rules of craft before you break them. How I'm breaking my own rule, on epistolary romances, and a funny story about my granddaughter.

ROGUE FAMILIAR out now! https://jeffekennedy.com/rogue-familiar

Read the Falling Under books  in Kindle Unlimited! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C1ZMDW1Y

Join my Patreon and Discord for mentoring, coaching, and conversation with me! Find it at https://www.patreon.com/JeffesCloset

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You can watch this podcast on YouTube here https://youtu.be/yuZ5rhAbGQg

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First Cup of Coffee – April 26, 2021

First Cup of Coffee with Jeffe Kennedy

First Cup of Coffee - April 26, 2021

April 26, 2021

Jeffe Kennedy

First grape arbor podcast of the year! I'm talking about spring, gardening, and our adventures with nesting birds this weekend, including a near wren-mishap! Also why divine and immortal characters don't always work for me.

Dark Wizard is here (https://jeffekennedy.com/dark-wizard).

You can watch the You Tube video of the podcast here (https://youtu.be/WeTxDQw0cts).

First Cup of Coffee is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts!



Support the show

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Find me on Threads
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First Cup of Coffee – October 23, 2020

First Cup of Coffee with Jeffe Kennedy

First Cup of Coffee - October 23, 2020

October 23, 2020

Jeffe Kennedy

Musings on the push-pull of staying true to want you want to write vs. being aware of marketability of the work. A bit more on unlikable heroines and the challenges therein - and how these considerations fit into your goals as a writer.

First Cup of Coffee is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts!

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Contact Jeffe!

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First Cup of Coffee – August 27, 2020

First Cup of Coffee with Jeffe Kennedy

First Cup of Coffee - August 27, 2020

August 27, 2020

Jeffe Kennedy

Happy birthday to Stepdad Dave! Also more on the best way to adapt to using a treadmill desk, easing into exercising in general to find those endorphins, and the western tanagers marauding my grape arbor.

First Cup of Coffee is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts!

Support the show

Contact Jeffe!

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Thanks for listening!


First Cup of Coffee – May 7, 2020

First Cup of Coffee with Jeffe Kennedy

First Cup of Coffee - May 7, 2020

May 07, 2020

Jeffe Kennedy

Reports on the murder bucket, how terribly busy I am, and All The Things. Also news on appearances, early copies of THE FIERY CROWN, and giveaways. Plus upcoming interviews!

The post I reference with my upcoming virtual appearances is here (https://blog.jeffekennedy.com/2020/05/06/early-signed-copies-of-the-fiery-crown/).

If you want to check out the giveaway, my Instagram is here (https://www.instagram.com/jeffekennedy2016/)

I've included a trailer from my Frolic Podcast Network sister show, Tea & Strumpets. You can find them here (https://www.romancepod.com/)

First Cup of Coffee is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. You can find more outstanding podcasts to subscribe to at Frolic.media/podcasts!

Support the show

Contact Jeffe!

Find me on Threads
Visit my website https://jeffekennedy.com
Follow me on Amazon or BookBub
Sign up for my Newsletter!
Find me on Instagram and TikTok!

Thanks for listening!

First Cup of Coffee – September 10, 2019


First Cup of Coffee with Jeffe Kennedy

First Cup of Coffee - September 10, 2019

September 10, 2019

Jeffe Kennedy

Talking today about breaking the gridlock of chronology, story framing, autumn, and hopefulness in general. 

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Of Grapes, Blue Moons and Real Writers

P1012771My attempt at capturing the blue moon, the morning of August first. It’s a mark of how fast this month is flying by that it’s now August 14 and I’m just now putting it up on the blog.

What have I been doing? I’m not at all sure…

I’ve been writing and working in the grape arbor quite a bit. That means I sit too much, but I kind of hate being inside at the treadmill desk when the weather is so beautiful. The grapes are all ripening and it makes me happy to see them hanging heavy and full of sunshine around me.

I’m working on a new book – a contemporary erotic romance. Or maybe it will be just really hot. I’m not writing this one to contract or spec this time – for the first time since, wow! 2012 – and it feels different. Totally my choice to do it this way, as there is a PLAN. I’m excited about the concept but the hero and heroine both have *totally* different lives and careers than anything I know well or understand. Just to make things difficult on myself! Interestingly, my author buddy Anne Calhoun is writing a new book with similar themes. And yet our two stories are completely different. We talk out plot ideas and brainstorm, so we know what the other is doing and still the tales wend in different directions. I’m always fascinated when that happens. She texted me on Wednesday about her progress and I texted back that I was in the midst of interviewing a guy so I could learn about my hero’s career. Then yesterday she had lunch with a guy so SHE could learn about her hero’s career. I laughed and said “Look at us!” She replied, “all researchy like real writers.”

This is an ongoing thing, feeling like a “real” writer or not. The number of books out there, the publishing contracts from which houses or not, the awards, the reviews – somehow none of it ever feels like it cements the “real writer” identity. Maybe because each book feels like such an immense new challenge to write. That’s probably good, because it means I’m stretching myself. Growth is painful, right? Knowing that doesn’t abate the discomfort, however.

I’ve also been teaching an online class the last couple of weeks, on building sexual tension. That’s always fun. Teaching other people how I do something helps clarify some of it in my mind.

Next week is the traditional family Birthday Weekend. We’re spending it in Maine and New Hampshire this year! David has never seen New England so I’m really excited for this.

Also: fresh lobster!

Happy weekend everyone! 🙂