About Karyn Good

I grew up on a farm in the middle of Canada's breadbasket. Under the canopy of crisp blue prairie skies I read books. Lots and lots of books. Occasionally, I picked up a pen and paper or tapped out a few meagre pages of a story on a keyboard and dreamed of becoming a writer when I grew up. One day the inevitable happened and I knew without question the time was right. What to write was never the issue - romance and the gut wrenching journey towards forever.

As We Shift Towards Another Season

Posted on August 10, 2012 by Karyn Good

I won’t be tiresome and asked the obvious, like how can it be Friday already. It’s been a productive week renovation wise. Our kitchen transformation is finally on the upswing so the place now has the cupboards, minus the door fronts. Layers of ugly wallpaper have now been removed and they’re starting on the baseboards and window casings. New windows are in and the new flooring is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. Yay.

But it’s also August 10th. Days are getting shorter. Back-to-school ads are everywhere. Harvest has started. Fall is just around the corner. Here is my corner of the world, the school years ends at the very end of June and students don’t go back to school until after the long weekend in September. Going by the glass is half full approach, there’s still almost a month of summer left.

There are market gardens to visit, campfires and hot chocolate to enjoy, and books yet to be read. A sense of gathering has started in the harvesting of grains, readying all those garden vegetables, or putting together supplies for school. Our purpose is shifting and we’re preparing for a new season.

I love fall. I’m just not ready to let go of summer yet.

My Playlist For This Sunny Summer August Day:

Drunk on You by Luke Bryan

Come Over by Kenny Chesney

I’m On Fire by Bruce Springsteen

Goodbye Girl by Rumer

The Cave by Mumford and Sons

On My eReader:

Still plugging away at Jane Eyre!

On the Menu

Takeout!!!

What are you listening to, reading, or eating this weekend?

Aiming for Gold

Posted on August 6, 2012 by Karyn Good

Citius, Altius, Fortius, which is Latin for “Faster, Higher, Stronger”

“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”

The motto and creed for the Olympic Games.

No one can help but be impressed by the physical prowess of athletes competing on London’s world stage. They are magnificent. Powerful, agile, honed to perfection, they push the bounds of human stamina. It’s all very impressive to behold. But what’s truly impressive, to me anyway, is the mental toughness it takes to get this job done. To compete and challenge the best in the world and not get lost in the mental garbage land of doubts, desperation, and the dark places one goes when things are not going as well as we had hoped.

No excuses allowed in this arena. Mental toughness and resilience are everything.

All this can apply to success in any endeavor, writing included. If you want to be the best you have to think like the best. According to David Yukelson, Affiliate Associate Professor of Exercise and Sport Science Sport Psychologist at Penn State there are four Key Psychological Characteristics Associated With Mental Toughness: Self-Belief, Motivation, Focus, and Composure/Handling Pressure.

Self-Belief: You have to believe you can do it. Without a doubt know you can do it. You need to figure out what makes you unique, make the absolute most of those qualities and strengths that work in your favor and that put you in contention.

Motivation: You have got to be able to taste the success. Feel it with your fingertips. See it as clearly as your face in the mirror. And you have to want it with everything you have in you. You need to take the setbacks that are going to come your way and use them to strengthen your determination. Use the momentum of motivation to bulldoze distractions.

Focus: Retaining that concentrated focus at the right times. By using routine and practice to signal effort. You walk through that door and it’s on. You need to shut down the negative voices telling you things you don’t need to hear. And you need to be able to turn it off when you walk back out.

Composure/Handling Pressure: Be in the moment. Embrace the pressure. It’s in your hands. What you do with the distractions and unexpected events can mean the difference between productivity and negative gains. You will worry, the anxiety will wrap around you like an old friend. Learn to cope with it.

A Positive Attitude

“We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face… we must do that which we think we cannot.” Eleanor Roosevelt

Patience and Persistance

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” ― Calvin Coolidge

Dreams do not come cheap. Nor are they easy. But we all have them. Are you prepared to put it all on the line to achieve yours?

My Own Personal Reading Challenge

Posted on August 2, 2012 by Karyn Good

My first blog hop is over and it was a blast. Thanks for all the lovely comments and for taking the time to travel the web in search of why we love heroes. My winner for the $5 Amazon Gift Certificate and a copy of The Storytellers’ Bouquet was:

Jan D.

Go Canada!

We all know unless you live under a rock the London 2012 Olympics Games are underway in Great Britain. So exciting to watch and cheer on your country. But I can’t help thinking about those parents in the stands. I mean good luck to all the athletes and everything, but seriously? How hard it must be to sit in those seats and wait for your son or daughter’s turn to be the focus of the entire world. OMGosh, if you’re a parent of a gymnast you have my sympathies. They are in the spotlight and they love to show the parents whether things have gone their way or it wasn’t their day. And you really have to love pink!

I’m not what you’d call an athlete (how’s that for understated sarcasm) but in honor of The Games I’m creating my own event – Book Reading. I’m combining this with love of country and an unreasonable desire (because I have absolutely no free time) to participate in a some type of book reading challenge. See? Three birds with one stone. Kind of. Maybe.

Okay, not really. But here it is anyway. I know there are challenges out there that encourage you to read a 100 books or some crazy number. If you’ve tried this and succeeded I applaud you. You deserve a medal. I’m going to try and read – wait for it – 7 books. I know, crazy ambitious right? Let me explain. I had some criteria. They had to be Canadian authors. The stories had to be set in Canada. Mostly. They had to genre fiction (because my book club reads mostly ‘literary fiction’). They had to be new-to-me authors. I love it because now I know what I’m going to be reading for the rest of the year. Or at least along side my book club’s picks and my go-to authors releases.

Hopefully, I’ll be more organized with this challenge than with Jane Eyre which I planned to read while away on holiday for our Summer Reading Challenge. Which was family reunion fun than camping capers. With kids. Two of whom belonged to my sister and who are aged one and four. And adorable. But exhausting. If they were a TV channel I would watch it all day. I’m back on track though and making my way through Jane’s time at Lowood. The plague (or whatever they’re calling it has arrived) and children are dying. Something terrible is going to happen to Helen and I’m dreading this next part.

Anyhoo…The List for my 2012/2013 Personal Reading Challenge:

September – Anthony Bidluka – Dos Equis – Mystery – Saskatchewan

October – Pamela Callow – Damaged – Crime – Nova Scotia

November – Janet Gurtler – If I Tell – Young Adult – Alberta

January – Louise Penny – Still Life – Mystery – Quebec

February – Maureen Jennings – Murdoch Mysteries: Except the Dying – Mystery – Ontario

March – Barbara Dunlop – A Cowboy Comes Home – Romance – Yukon

April – Nadine LaPierre – The Slayer – Mystery/Thriller – Nova Scotia

Wish me luck. Or better yet join me! It’ll be fun. Do you participate in reading challenges? Book clubs? Read-offs?

A Hero’s Blog Hop

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Karyn Good

It’s my first ever blog hop and I’m so excited!

It’s all about getting to know some awesome heroes. There’s a lot of them to get to know, too. You can follow the link below to find more heroes and reasons why we love them. The hop runs from July 27 until July 31. Enjoy!

http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.ca/p/a-heros-hop.html

I’d like you to meet Constable Chase Porter, my hero from BACKLASH. He’s a Constable with the RCMP which is Canada’s federal police force. He’s been transferred to Aspen Lake and the town is he grew up in and left ten years ago. He’s a man of few words but he’s tries to do the right thing even when he’d rather not.

Constable Chase Porter is in the hot seat today for our Hero Segment. Because I pulled the short straw.

Nice to know you’re happy to be here. All that attitude actually works in our favor, ups our readership. That sort of thing. Romance writers. Always looking for an angle.

I’ll take that as a compliment. Now, let’s get down to it. Oh yes, lets.

So, you’re about what? 6’1” – 6’2”, a hundred and— Seriously? No. And I’m not taking anything off either, just encase that’s where you’re going next.

Would you rather see a movie at the theater or at home on DVD? No question, at home on DVD. Why? Because I can spread out, grab a beer, and eat pizza. What if it’s a date? DVD. Ladies choice. What are you going to feed her? Breakfast in bed.

Would you rather watch a sitcom, a reality show, a police drama, a legal drama, or a medical drama? Or something else? Sports. Preferably football – CFL or NFL. Or Basketball – college.

If you could be a character in any novel you’ve ever read, who would you be and why? Superman. So what’s your kryptonite? She’s got freckles and curly hair and the sweetest smile you’ve ever seen.

At what age did you lose your virginity? No comment. That seems to be a theme with you. Why? Are you embarrassed by the answer? No, but I’ve always been a fan of the kiss don’t tell philosophy. You sure that’s all it is? Pretty damn sure.

Do you have a personal written budget? Yeah, like don’t spend it if you don’t have it. I’ve got that written down somewhere.

Do you like to sing karaoke? No one wants to hear me sing. Under any circumstance. And I can’t think of even one that would see me on a stage in front of a mic preparing to make a total fool of myself.

What was your favorite game to play as a child? I grew up in Aspen Lake. On summer nights us neighborhood kids would stay out till after dark and play hide-and-go-seek. We used to scare each other silly. Good times.

Would you rather have super strength or super intelligence? How about a little bit of both. You know, balance in all things.

What is the one habit you have that you would like to change? Wishing for something you know you can’t have. And I should probably cut back on the coffee.

How many pairs of shoes do you own? How would I know? I don’t count them. Three? Maybe four?

What’s the last song you downloaded to your iPod? I Don’t Know by The Sheepdogs.

What is your most prized possession? This. Very nice medal. Saint Thomas of Aquinas. It was the last thing my mother gave to me. I never take it off.

Favorite sport? That would be football. And before you ask why football? I don’t know why. Probably the same reason women read romance novels. Entertainment. Escapism.

Guys in tight pants. Sigh. Angelina Jolie or Nicole Kidman? Angelina. Why? Because…that mouth makes you imagine a whole lot of things.

Johnny Depp or Hugh Jackman? Wolverine.

Team Edward or Team Jacob? What sport are we talking about?

BACKLASH is available from various places.

What he’s sworn to protect, she’s willing to sacrifice to save those she loves…

When dedicated teacher Lily Wheeler interrupts a vicious gang attack on one of her students, she vows it won’t happen again. But her rash interference puts her in the path of a cold-blooded killer and the constable tracking him-a man she has little reason to trust, but can never forget.

Constable Chase Porter returned to Aspen Lake to see justice done, not renew old acquaintances. But when he rescues the woman he once loved from a volatile situation, he realizes his feelings for Lily haven’t lessened over the years.

Now, the dangerous killer Chase has sworn to capture has Lily in his sights. Can Chase and Lilly learn to trust each other again before it’s too late-or will old insecurities jeopardize their future?

Leave a comment with your email address to enter to win a $5 gift certificate from Amazon and also a e-sampler collection of four short stories from four different authors, including one of mine! The draw will be made on July 31st.

Hope you enjoyed the sneak peak into Chase and Backlash. Don’t forget to carry on and check out all the other heroes and why they’re so appealing.

http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/p/heros-blog-hop-hop.html

A Hero’s Blog Hop

Posted on July 26, 2012 by Karyn Good

I’m so excited! I’ve signed up for my very first blog hop.

http://carrieannbloghops.blogspot.com/p/heros-blog-hop-hop.html

July 27 til July 31

And there are Prizes:

Grand Prize: Kindle Fire/Nook Color (or equal gift card)

Second Prize: $50 Gift Card

Third prize: Swag Pack

Join in the fun on Twitter starting tomorrow: #HeroHop

Stop by my blog between July 27 and July 31, leave a comment with my Hero Post and be entered to win a $5 Gift Card from The Wild Rose Press.

Care For a Drink With That?

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Karyn Good

“The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.” Julia Child

The weekend is just around the corner and what’s summer for if not to enjoy? There are tough decisions to be made like what are you going to drink, what are you going to eat, and most importantly what are you going to read. Having trouble deciding what goes best with what. Well, I’ve got a few suggestions.

I could go with a dark, rich ale whose slightly smoky complex flavor goes well with an assortment of foods. But the heck with that idea! Choose a medieval romance or a highland romance to sip your ale by, perhaps while snacking on some chicken wings, nachos, or some other type of delicious finger food. No haggis allowed here however.

Might I point you in the direction of a Chardonnay, the Queen of the whites, with its wider-bodied, rich citrus flavors? Recommended pairings are fish and chicken. I say pair it with a contemporary romance. There’s got to be a Nora Roberts book out there I haven’t read. Sushi anyone?

Then there’s the wine that goes with anything – a Merlot. Its round texture and black cherry and herbal flavors suggest a partnership with a riveting romantic suspense along with a gooey, oozy, cheesy, spicy pepperoni pizza.

How about the granddaddy of them all, a Cabernet Sauvignon? Full-bodied, firm and gripping. To be enjoyed with red meat. Permission granted to sink your teeth into a paranormal romance. Might I recommend a perfectly grilled steak?

Is there anything better then a straight shot of Canadian whiskey? Aged, typically lighter and smoother, you can’t help but marry it with a historical. So grab that jar of fire roasted peanuts for yourself and saddle on up to the couch with a historical.

What weekend is complete without a trip to your favorite coffee shop and a frothy cup of Chai tea latte? Or a London Fog, I can never decide. Back home again with a bag full of ginger cookies and a regency romance and you’ve have all the makings for tea in the afternoon.

If your tastes run more to a sharp, tangy lemonade or sweet iced tea might I propose a traditional romance or an inspirational romance. Enjoy them alongside a slice of a real deal, homemade chocolate cake smothered in rich, creamy chocolate icing.

Or mix and match any of the above!

Are there any other romance sub genres I’ve left out? What about other genres? What would you pair them with?

*For the recipes to those delicious looking drinks go here.

**This post has been recycled. It first appeared on the now defunct Prairie Chicks Write Romance, but I thought it deserved another airing.

Lucky 7 from Backlash

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Karyn Good

Back in the middle of June I was tagged by the wonderful and talented author Monica Enderle Pierceto take part in the Lucky 7 meme. In the mood for some romantic dystopian/sci-fi? Check out her novel that releases this July, Girl Under Glass.

Here are the oh-so simple rules:

Go to page 7 or 77 in your current manuscript
Go to line 7
Copy down the next seven lines/sentences exactly as they are
Tag 7 other authors

So here are 7 lines from page 77 of my romantic suspense, Backlash.

Mike continued on, “If you could provide us with a list of friends and places to look that would be great.”

Mike laid a paper and pen down on the cold metal table and pulled out a chair for Lily. Lily sank into it. Mike claimed the one next to her. Chase gritted his teeth as he made his way to the opposite side of the table.

Jason, Lily’s student, is missing. Constable Mike Davenport, Chase’s partner, has called Lily into the station to assist them.

The authors I’m tagging are all talented and engaging writers, some I know in person and some I’ve met online. A bouquet of authors all worth reading.

So, tag! Your it!

In Other News:

Recently my husband and son went on a bike tour of Holland and I couldn’t resist sending a long a little piece of me with them. I hope Chase and Lily enjoyed their tour and I hope someone finds their story in the Amsterdam airport and decides to read it. Perhaps they’ll pass it on and Chase and Lily will continue their travels.

Travelling anywhere interesting this summer?

Decorating Genius or Desperate Decorating

Posted on July 12, 2012 by Karyn Good

I’ve been picking paint colors. The most interesting thing about paint? The inventive names, kind of like crayon colours, with things like purple rain, apple lime cocktail, cocoa sand. I wonder what my critique partners would have to say if I used these color descriptors in my writing.

They were saved from the worst of it. Dry and safe under the awning while purple rain poured down around them.

Because obviously they’re caught in some kind of chemical downpour. Ha. I can picture the circles of red ink. But cocoa colored sand has possibilities, although I’m not sure it exists in nature. I also found pink polka dot and butterfly wing which I thought were cute. And newborn baby which I thought was downright creepy. And guess what!?! There really are fifty shades of grey.

This is currently our kitchen area. Anyway, I decided to start with the kitchen and chose Natural Linen. Okay, Jordan, who’s in charge of the renos, picked it for me. So, fingers crossed. From there I went on to ignore the whole goes-best-with list. Because that’s the way I roll and why make things easier. I came up with meditation, spa, and lapland – all variations on an earthy-type greenish color. Safe to say my career as a namer of paint is stalled in it’s tracks. Also safe to say, I feel the need to relax within the bounds of a monochromatic color scheme.

But what do you do with the freshly painted walls? Soon I’m going to have to hang up some artwork. And isn’t that a terrifying notion? As in how many nail holes does it take to hang a picture properly? What size? How to space them out? How far up the wall? I’ve got a couple of huge walls.

As in match the artwork to the wall size. Don’t hang a dinky little picture on a huge wall. And likewise, don’t cram some huge monstrosity into an itty bitty space, that sort of thing. I found a blog that had some crazy notion I should multiply something by some crazy number to come up with the perfect sized artwork for the wall. Not going to happen. Most reasonable advice: 12 inches above the couch; a palm’s width spacing between paintings, or trace out the size of the canvases on butcher paper and tape to wall as a test drive visual. Those ideas I can manage with my feeble decorator’s brain.

However, I did come across this idea for cheap artwork and I’m going to give it a try. You take painting canvases and cover them with fabric. Brilliant. At least, I thought so. Maybe you’ve already heard of this idea. Here’s another example. If it’s works and I’m successful (aka I’ll ask my Mom to help) I’ll post pictures.

If you have ideas for cheap and wonderful art I’d love to hear them! Seriously, I’m begging you. I need help. And ideas. Just keep them simple.

My Favorite Summer Things

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Karyn Good

We’re all living the life of riley these days. We’ve unearthed the lawn chairs, smeared ourselves in sunscreen, and picked out a great book. It’s summertime! The sun is shining, the temperatures are rising, and the drinks are cold. As usual there is too much to do and too little time to fit it all in. I’m like everyone else and compiling my summertime wish list. The wonderful thing about summer is it doesn’t have to cost a fortunate to be enjoyable. I’m not sure how much watermelon is a pound, but not very much. A bag of marshmallows? Okay, you need to find a fire pit for that last one. How about water guns? I’m a fan of self pedicures – some crazy bright nail polish and a pair of flip flops and it feels like summer. I’ve got some other favorites, too!

The Food (and Drinks): Probably the very best part of the whole food and drink thing? Eating it outside. What is it about fresh air that makes everything, and I’m including burnt offerings in this, taste better? Grilled burgers covered in melting cheese served in a bakery fresh bun. Roasted hotdogs, their skin split from hanging out over a hot fire. S’mores. Beer. Yum. Canada Day pancakes outside with maple syrup and strawberries.

The Flowers: I love flowers. I wish I had a green thumb. There are flowers and flowerpots everywhere overflowing with color. I love the shady greenery of hostas and bleeding hearts or the bursts of color from begonias and the little impatiens. Lilies and roses bushes, not to mention one of my favorites: gladiolas. The hardy petunias that I plant everywhere in the hope that they’ll live!

Market Gardens and Fresh Produce: Who doesn’t love wandering the aisles at local markets? Fresh greens, baked-that-day goodies, canned pickles, and a whole lot of other stuff. But one of my absolute favorite summertime offerings is the bright red tomato. OMGosh, I love them. There is nothing better than a sun-ripened tomato white-bread sandwich. A little salt and pepper, a smear of mayo and you’re got the best thing ever!

Long Days, Hot Nights, and Thunderstorms: It’s one of those super hot days that’s leading into a super hot night. But clouds gathering and shifting on the horizon and the weatherperson is forecasting a storm. The air smells different. The clouds stream closer and it gets darker. We get some whoppers in this neck of the woods. On July 1st which is Canada Day, we had a thunderstorms that lasted about three hours complete with sheet lightning and strike lightning. It outdid the fireworks. My parents always told us to stay away from the windows when these kinds of storms visited us on the farm, but it’s impossible not to watch.

Football: Here in Canada our national football league (CFL) starts at the beginning of July. And here in Saskatchewan we go a little bit nuts. On game day it’s a sea of green everywhere you go. We are the Saskatchewan Roughriders and our colors are green and white. Some say we bleed green. In our resourcefulness we have devised an alternate use for the watermelon. We hollow them out and carve it into a helmet. I kid you not.

So of my other favorites are:

sundresses
lemonade
sunflowers
canola fields
iced Chai tea lattes
reading outside
open windows
sand castles

and the list goes on! I’d love for you to share your favorite summertime thing(s)! Come one, I know you want to. Don’t be shy and add to the list!

Catching Up!

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Karyn Good

A little housecleaning before things get back to something that resembles normal next week! With the release of my romantic suspense, BACKLASH, things have been a little crazy around here. Add in the beginning of the long awaited summer and a complete kitchen renovation that extended into a total main floor update and all regular scheduled programming goes out the window. Crazy can be a good thing, but it’s always reassuring to get back into a sort-of-routine. Consider this my first attempt.

Carnivalesque: The Travelling Blog Show is on hiatus for the summer! BUT some of us are getting ready for our Carnivalesque Summer Reading Challenge: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. If you’re interested in following along and checking in for our thoughts as we read through you can go here. And if you’d like to join the challenge, feel free! We’d love to read along with you! Either way, please know we love to hear your comments!

Lucky for me, Jane Eyre came free with my Kobo ereader! So, I’m ready to read. I have to admit to never making it through one of the classics so I’m super excited for this challenge. As a longtime book club member I love reading books in the company of others. For me, it’s the only way to read books you might be hesitant about but really want to try. Looking forward to talking it out ups the chances of success.

Congratulations to Janet who’s my June contest winner for a $10 Gift Certificate to Amazon.

Also, you can win a copy of BACKLASH tomorrow at The Romance Reviews Sizzling Summer Reads Contest. You do have to be registered with Romance Reviews but I hear it’s painless. You will need to answer a little scavenger hunt question but that will be pain-free as well! There are over 400 prizes available with the Grand Prize being a $100 gift certificate!

Have a great weekend! My husband and son return from a bike trip to Holland on Saturday after a ten day absence! That’s going to the highlight of my weekend! I can’t wait to hear all about their adventure. Until then the sun is shining and the lounge chair by the pool is beckoning! Jane Eyre is waiting. And my in-laws have offered to cook us supper. Again. Life is good!