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.

Backlash is Available for Order in Print!

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Karyn Good

Backlash is now up on The Wild Rose Press site under Latest in Paperback!

Yep, you can now pre-order it in print! Just go here! I’m SO excited!

BACKLASH

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?

In the Spotlight with Joanne Brothwell

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Karyn Good

I’m very excited to welcome Joanne Brothwell to my blog today! She’s here to answer some questions and share a little bit about her debut release, Stealing Breath. Not only is Joanne a super talented writer she’s also my critique partner and a member of my writing group. Her energy and enthusiasm never fail to inspire me. I couldn’t be more proud to have her here.

Tell us a bit about your latest release. Can you sum it up Twitter style?

Indigo Child. Empath. Beware! OR Infatuation + Supernatural = Flash/Bang

I’d say that works! What was your inspiration for Stealing Breath?

One of my friends, an Indigenous woman, told me a story of a time she was on a road trip in the US. It was the middle of the night and she was growing too tired to continue driving, so she pulled her car over to the side of the road, somewhere in Arizona near the “four corners” (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah). She planned to have a nap, but was startled awake when her car started rocking as if someone was jumping on her car, their mocking laughter outside sending shivers up her back. Quite abruptly it stopped, and when she spoke to some of her Navajo relatives later, they said these tricksters were Skinwalkers, people who practiced “Bad Medicine” and could perform astral-projection!

Okay, that gave me shivers. It’s very interesting how you’ve woven Native American lore into your story! Is Stealing Breath part of a series?

Yes! Book two is in the process of being assigned an editor, and book three is still spinning in my mind.

Excellent, I can’t wait for the next one! Who are your writing influences?

Cassandra Clare (The Mortal Instruments). I love Cassandra’s richly detailed prose and how her characters resonate with me. I anxiously await every new book!

What’s next? What are you working on now?

My current WIP is titled “The Fifth Daughter of Eve”, and it’s more science fiction than paranormal. I pitched the concept to ten agents/publishers recently at a convention, and most of them seemed very enthusiastic about the idea. I guess I’d better get it finished!

Time for some favorites!

Your favorite fictional character?

It used to be Jace Wayland from City of Bones, but currently it is Christian Grey from Fifty Shades of Grey (don’t tell Hayley)!

She won’t hear it from me! 50 Shades of Grey is on my book club’s list for this fall. Can’t wait! Have you heard that Ian Somerhalder’s name is being tossed around to play Christian in the upcoming movie?

Your favorite romantic gesture?

Neck kissing. I totally love it when the male lead kisses the heroine’s neck!

Your favorite quote?

“Not everything is about you,” Clary said furiously.

“Possibly,” Jace said, “but you do have to admit that the majority of things are.”

― Cassandra Clare, City of Glass

Love it! Your favorite stress reliever?

Reading, of course!

Finally, who would you rather be stranded with…and why? Sam and Dean Winchester? Or Stefan and Damon Salvatore?

Okay. It was really hard to pick, so I’ll give the reason why I didn’t choose Stefan and Damon.

Stefan and Damon Salvatore

With Stefan and Damon, I’d have their total hotness to gape at, their supernatural vampire powers to protect me, and I could watch as they tore people apart with their teeth or ripped people’s hearts right out of their chests. The problem is, when they got all fiending with me, it might seem like a really bad idea for me as a human to be stranded with two (eventually hungry) vampires.

Sam and Dean Winchester

If I got stranded with Sam and Dean, I’d have two big, strapping lads to protect me and kick some serious demon ass. Then I could drink beers with them at the end of the day and watch rippling muscles flex as they cleaned their rifles, all the while listening to them tell off-colour jokes. It’d be great fun!

Those are great reasons! Thanks for answering my questions, Joanne. Now it’s time to show off your beautiful cover and introduce Stealing Breath!

Deep in the backwoods of North Dakota, Sarah Ross is searching for a missing child when she is attacked by a glowing-eyed, transparent creature known to the Navajo as a Skinwalker. Using mysterious abilities, Sarah escapes, only to run directly into Evan Valente, a handsome, charismatic stranger who helps her back to safety. But why is Evan out in the forest so early in the morning?

Sarah learns her eyes bear the mark of the Indigo Child, an evolved human with the ability to feel the emotions of others; unfortunately, her indigo aura is highly desirable to not only Skinwalkers, but others who wish to steal her powerful essence.

Soon, Sarah falls deeply in love with Evan and wants nothing more than to follow her heart, but she can’t ignore the lingering feeling that Evan is hiding a terrible secret. The deeper she digs, the more danger she faces, forcing her to face the darkest, innermost parts of her soul.

Joanne is happy to answer any questions!

Where to find Joanne Brothwell.

Joannebrothwell (at) sasktel (dot) net

Purchase Stealing Breath at Crescent Moon Press

Website: www.joannebrothwell.com

Blog: http://www.joannebrothwell.com/blog.html

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoanneBrothwell

Twitter: @JoanneBrothwell

Six Sentence Sunday

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Karyn Good

It’s Six Sentence Sunday! Time to travel around to all kinds of author blogs and get at sneak peak into lots of fabulous stories. Your comments always inspire me, so thanks for taking the time to drop by and leave them.

It’s late in the evening and my heroine, Lily, is being escorted home by police after a brutal attack by a wanted gang leader.

Lily averted her gaze from the sidewalk and focused on Chase unlocking her door. She remained vertical by sheer force of will, desperate to get inside. Even with Chase and Mike stuck to her like burrs, the whispering breeze carried threats. The shadows hid monsters threatening to break through their guard. Paranoia bloomed.

Thanks again for stopping by and there’s always more places to visit on Six Sentence Sunday.

Adventures in Reading

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Karyn Good

First is a book I’ve just finished reading and it’s my critique partner’s debut New Adult paranormal, Stealing Breath by Joanne Brothwell! It’s a wonderful story and I hope you check it out.

Deep in the backwoods of North Dakota, twenty-one year old Sarah Ross is searching for a missing child when she is attacked by a glowing-eyed, transparent… creature. Sarah survives, destroying the monster by using mysterious abilities she didn’t even know she had.

Bloody and bruised, Sarah flees the scene and runs directly into Evan Valente, a handsome, charismatic stranger who helps her back to safety. But what is Evan doing out in the forest at five in the morning? Read more here!

The second book is the one I’m currently reading and it’s our May reading selection for my book club, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. Excellent so far!

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

Laura Griffin’s Unspeakable, the 2nd in her Tracer series, is next in cue on my TBR pile!

Elaina McCord’s dream of being an FBI profiler is in danger with her first case—investigating a string of murders near a Texas beach resort. The victims, all young women, were drugged and brutally murdered, their bodies abandoned in desolate marshland. Elaina’s hunch—met with disbelief by local police—is that these are only the latest offerings from a serial killer who has been perfecting his art for years, growing bolder and more cunning with each strike.

True-crime writer Troy Stockton has a reputation as an irresistible playboy who gets his story at any cost. He’s the last person Elaina should trust, let alone be attracted to. But right now Troy, along with the elite team of forensics experts known as the Tracers, are her only allies in a case that’s turning dangerously personal. A killer is reaching out to Elaina, taunting her, letting her know how ruthless he is and how close he’s getting. Now it’s not just her career that’s in danger—it’s her life. . . .

There you have it. That’s my adventures in reading for the last couple of weeks.What great books have you read, are reading, or have stacked in your TBR pile?

Carnivalesque: Rating Reality TV

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Karyn Good

This week our Carnivalesque Travelling Blog heads to Jana Richards blog where we’ll talking about reality TV and whether we love it or we hate it. So come join Hayley Lavik, Janet Corcoran, Jana Richards and myself over at her place as we fess up to our likes or dislikes. You can also find us on Twitter: @karygood, @jscorcoran, and @hayleyelavik and follow the discussion using hashtag #blogshow.

Reading Therapy

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Karyn Good

I participated in a reading last week at a lovely small town Saskatchewan library along with a friend of mine, Annette Bower. I read from my romantic suspense, Backlash, and she read from her newly published e-book, Moving On: A Prairie Romance. An old converted school house with original tin ceilings and hardwood floors, it contained a small library and an art gallery. We read in a cosy room in front of a beautiful mural created by young local artists to fifteen or twenty interested attendees.

I had a very entertaining conversation with an older woman who hadn’t read a book of fiction since high school. It’s true. Apparently, it’s possible to go fifty or sixty years without reading a book. I’m sure she’s enjoyed many other creative pursuits, but still…

I thought about all those times I’ve read books to save my sanity. Like recently, when I found myself awake at 2:00 am three or four nights in a row because I was coughing and couldn’t sleep. Tucked up in bed, propped up against a mound of pillows, Vicks Vapor Rub smeared on my chest, waiting for the cough medicine to kick in, I poured through four books.

On those bi-monthly weekend Greyhound bus rides from Regina to Saskatoon to visit my now husband in my twenties. Airports, hotel rooms, doctor’s offices. What do people do in these places if they aren’t reading? Okay, excluding hotel rooms!

On our way home from the reading we talked about creative ways to promote ereaders and ebooks. Someone mentioned their niece reading on her ereader while breastfeeding her baby. Oh, how I wished I’d had one way back when to pass those long hours.

It’s been a long day and the next one promising to be just as long. What do you do? You pick up a book and allow the story to sweep you away. There’s nothing quite like immersing yourself in a great book. I’ll even take a not-so-great book over no book. I’ve used books to soothe away teenage angst. I remember once, shortly after moving away from home for the first time at eighteen, a group of girlfriends got together one night to watch the movie: Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I read an entire Harlequin romance once I returned home to my dark, little, very empty house. I don’t remember the name of the story, but it saved my sanity that night.

When has reading saved your sanity?

I hope you check out my friend, Annette Bower and her new release, Moving On – A Prairie Romance.

Moving On-A Prairie Romance

Anna is a mysterious woman that has just moved to Regina Beach. The residents of the small town know everyone’s business and they are very interested in discovering Anna’s secrets. Nick was a Sergeant in the Canadian Army, doing active duty until a horrific accident sent him home to recover. He helps Anna feel safe and comfortable in her new environment, just as he has always done for his men in strange, dangerous places. Meanwhile, he focuses on preparing for his future physical endurance test to prove that he is capable of returning to active duty.

Anna doesn’t talk about her past, and Nick doesn’t talk about his future therefore she is shocked to discover that his greatest wish is to return to active duty. She won’t love a man who may die on the job again. Intellectually, she knows that all life cycles end, but emotionally, she doesn’t know if she has the strength to support Nick.

Six Sentence Sunday

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Karyn Good

Once again it’s Six Sentence Sunday. Here it’s cool and overcast, the perfect day for sampling a variety of tasty fictional snippets.

In this snippet Chase, my hero, is enjoying a quiet moment of introspection.

He hated tranquil and quiet. He preferred noise and movement. Life after nine in the evening. Anonymity.

And more than one degree of separation between him and his high school sweetheart, for fuck sake.

Then again,maybe not so much enjoying as twisting the proverbial knife in the wound.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by and check out my contribution. As always, I love hearing from all of you. Have a great Six Sentence Sunday!

If Life Were Like That…

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Karyn Good

If life were like that…I’d have a green thumb. Like my Mom or my Dad for that matter. Or my Brother. My father-in-Law, or countless other relatives. But I don’t. That doesn’t stop me from loving flowers and other green things. With spring here, hopefully to stay, my mind wanders to what I’ll plant in pots and flowerbeds. My lack of a colored thumb necessitates keeping things simple. I have my favorites: petunias, pansies, and impatients. Hardy little souls, they provide lots of color.

I love visiting the greenhouses and wandering colorful aisle after colorful aisle. The colors! Begonias and tons of others I don’t know the names of. Geraniums, that always make me think of Anne of Green Gables and her little plant she named Bonny.

“What is the name of that geranium on the window-sill, please?”

“That’s the apple-scented geranium.”

“Oh, I don’t mean that sort of a name. I mean just a name you gave it yourself. Didn’t you give it a name? May I give it one then? May I call it–let me see–Bonny would do–may I call it Bonny while I’m here? Oh, do let me!”

“Goodness, I don’t care. But where on earth is the sense of naming a geranium?”

“Oh, I like things to have handles even if they are only geraniums. It makes them seem more like people. How do you know but that it hurts a geranium’s feelings just to be called a geranium and nothing else? You wouldn’t like to be called nothing but a woman all the time. Yes, I shall call it Bonny. I named that cherry-tree outside my bedroom window this morning. I called it Snow Queen because it was so white. Of course, it won’t always be in blossom, but one can imagine that it is, can’t one?” from Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

As spring blooms around us, does your thumb turn green while your mind starts planning various groups of plantings? What are you favorite sort of flowers?

Imagine That

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Karyn Good

Imagery takes a person, place, or thing and puts them in context for the reader. It aids us in getting to know an unfamiliar character by giving us, the reader, the sense of walking around in someone else’s shoes. Not only through sight and sound, but what she tastes, touches, and smells. By using the senses you can create a clear and specific image, a certain tone or mood. It’s in the use of strong verbs and specific nouns and enhancing the right, not every, detail.

When I think of imagery, I think of this passage. I can picture that mass herd of caribou as a living entity as it swarms and moves over the land. I can feel the tiredness of the couple as they try to keep up day after day. It speaks to me and it paints that picture we writers strive to create for our readers.

“And they came in waves. Streams of animals pouring like some liquid over the hilltops, expanding, contracting, spreading across ridge crests and passes. We followed for as long as we could each day, were overtaken when we camped for the night, and dragged our leaden limbs out of frosted sleeping bags in the mornings, to start a day of trying to keep up, all over again.” -Karsten Heuer from first weeks “Being Caribou”

So, I’m reminded that as I revise it’s not simply a tree but a specific kind of tree. Perhaps it’s a ripped Grateful Dead t-shirt instead of a shirt. It’s the corner of East Hastings Street and Gore Avenue not down the street. It may be a gun, but it’s also a specific make and model. That guy is not simply homeless. He’s called Chain Man for the ropes of chains looped around his neck. It’s his job to carry those chains, day in and day out, on the streets of Eastside Vancouver. Rain or shine, like a mail carrier with his bag of mail.

Be the image ugly or beautiful, the trick is to have it appear natural and in character. Not simply a niffy sounding descriptor, but true to my voice and style as a writer. There is no need to bedazzle the reader with my genius and clever hand with literary devices. They are useful only in their ability to help enhance the reality of the situation. Kind of like how we use salt and pepper to season a plate of food. We don’t need to pour them over every morsel. We taste first and see where it can be used to improve the favor using a delicate shake or one twist of the grinder.

The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes

The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,

The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,

The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,

And the highwayman came riding–

Riding–riding–

The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door

Do you have a favorite author with a talent for imagery? A movie you’re willing to watch over and over again for the scenery? (Mine’s Pride and Prejudice) What’s your best loves literary device?