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Karen Wiesner, the founder of Jewels of the Quill, is an accomplished author with 68 books published in the past 11 years, which have been nominated/won 92 awards, and 9 more titles contracted for spanning many genres and formats. Besides her writing, Karen enjoys designing websites and graphics for her pages, and designing cover art and logos for books. You can view her designs at Karen's Cover Art Designs.
Karen's newest releases in her Incognito Series (romantic action/adventure suspense novels, published by Whiskey Creek Press) are: NO ORDINARY LOVE, UNTIL DEATH DO US PART, BOUNTY ON THE REBEL'S HEART, DEAD DROP, UNDER THE SPELL, RENEGADE'S ROSE, UNDERCOVER ANGEL, and HARD TO HANDLE. NO ORDINARY LOVE won the 2007 EPPIE Award (romantic suspense category). UNTIL DEATH DO US PART was a finalist for the 2008 EPPIE (action/adventure category). DEAD DROP took 3rd Place in FTHRW's 2008 Lories' Best Published Contest. RENEGADE'S ROSE, Book 6 was a receipient of The Long and Short Of It ReviewsBest Book Award, received a 5 heart review and was nominated for The Romance Studio's 5 Sweetheart Award. UNDERCOVER ANGEL received a Best Book review award--their highest rating--from LASR, the FAR Recommended Read Award, a 5 star review and featured status from Manic Readers, received a 5 heart review and was nominated for The Romance Studio's 5 Sweetheart Award, and 4 1/2 stars from Romantic Times BOOKreviews. Both RENEGADE'S ROSE and UNDERCOVER ANGEL were nominated for LASR's Best Book of 2008 Award. HARD TO HANDLE, Book 8, received 5 stars from ReviewYourBook.com, LASR, Fallen Angel Reviews, and The Romance Studio and was nominated for TRS' 5 Sweetheart Award. You can find out more about it and read an excerpt here. Look for DANCE IN SHADOWS, Book 9, in October 2009. Read an sneak peek excerpt!
Karen also writes police procedural mysteries with award-winning author Chris Spindler of Auenwald, Germany. The first book in their Falcon's Bend Series, DEGREES OF SEPARATION, was originally published in limited edition hardcover as well as trade paperback and electronic formats. It received a 4 1/2 star, Top Pick review from Romantic Times BOOKreviews and was nominated for The Romance Studio’s 5 Sweetheart Review Award. TEARS ON STONE, Book 2 of the Falcon's Bend Series, was also published in trade paperback and electronic formats, along with the FALCON'S BEND CASE FILES, Volume I, both of which were nominated for The Romance Studio’s 5 Sweetheart Review Award. One of the stories in the first novella collection, “Fixated”, finaled in the L-edit Slip Contest (Best Short Story) and was a 2007 EPPIE Award finalist in the Mystery category. Swimming Kangaroo Books has reissued DEGREES OF SEPARATION (Book 1), TEARS ON STONE (Book 2), FALCON'S BEND CASE FILES, Volume I (The Early Cases), and published THE FIFTEENTH LETTER (Book 3) and ROMANTIC NOTIONS (Book 4) in paperback and electronic formats. THE FIFTEENTH LETTER received 5 star reviews from The Romance Studio (also a winner of their 5 Sweetheart Review Award), Huntress Reviews, Dark Angel Reviews, and Coffee Time Romance and More. ROMANTIC NOTIONS received 5 stars from The Romance Studio (also a winner of their 5 Sweetheart Review Award), Huntress Reviews and Dark Angel Reviews. FALCON'S BEND CASE FILES, Volume II, with six new stories, is now available from http://stores.lulu.com/karenwiesner. Karen designed all the covers and the series logo. Visit Karen and Chris' Falcon's Bend Community, where you'll find updates and information about the series.
Karen also has a inspirational gothic romance novel, called THE BLOODMOON CURSE, available now with Samhain Publishing, which has won and final for awards and received countless 5 star reviews. Her newest with Samhain is the Family Heirlooms Series (inspirational romances) with Book 1: BABY, BABY, available now in trade paperback and electronic formats. BABY, BABY received a 5-heart review from The Romance Studio, won their Sweetheart Award, and was a TRS' 2008 CAPA Award winner. BABY, BABY also won Ecataromance's 2008 Reviewer's Choice Award. Book 2: SHADOW BOXING is available now in electonic formats; November 2009 in trade paperback. SHADOW BOXING received a 5-heart review from The Romance Studio and was nominated for their Sweetheart Award. Both BABY, BABY and SHADOW BOXING received WDRF's WDRF's Top Read of Excellence
Uncial Press has published UNTIL IT'S GONE, Book 5 of Karen’s Wounded Warriors Series (spotlighted below) in electronic formats. WHITE RAINBOW, the sixth and final book in the series, an inspirational romance, will be released Summer 2010. Also look for electronic reissues of RELUCTANT HEARTS (Book 1), August 14, 2009; WAITING FOR AN ECLIPSE (Book 2), November 13, 2009; MIRROR MIRROR (Book 3), January 15, 2010; and WAYWARD ANGELS (Book 4), March 12, 2010 from Uncial. Trade paperback versions will be available for each book with the electronic releases. Karen designed the new covers for the series.
Karen's writing reference, FIRST DRAFT IN 30 DAYS, from Writer's Digest Books is also available. Her second Writer's Digest release is FROM FIRST DRAFT TO FINISHED NOVEL {A Writer’s Guide to Cohesive Story Building}, also available now. THE POWER OF PROMOTIONAL GROUPS, which details how published authors can set up a promotional group like Jewels of the Quill, is available from Twilight Books Publishing.
Karen has contributed novellas to all the Jewels of the Quill anthologies. Most recently, "Revenge in Amethyst" (Story 2 of her Adventures in Amethyst Series) in TALES FROM THE TREASURE TROVE, Volume III) and "Papa" (Book 1 of her romantic horror series, Woodcutter's Grim) in the first Jewels of the Quill Halloween anthology, SHADOWS IN THE HEART. TALES III won the 2008 EPPIE Award (single/title/mainstream category) and was also nominated in the Romantic Times BOOKclub's Reviewer's Choice Awards (Best Small Press Contemporary Paranormal/Futuristic category)! The cover of SHADOWS IN THE HEART, designed by Karen, was a recipient of the 2008 Dirk A. Wolf Honorable Mention Award for Excellence in eBook Cover Artwork (horror category), which honors the runner-up covers in the 2008 Ariana Best in Category contest! Also available now is the second book in her Woodcutter's Grim Series, "Blood of Amethyst", in TALES FROM THE TREASURE TROVE, Volume IV. "Perfect Cadence," Book 1 of her Kaleidoscope Series, is now available in CHRISTMAS WISHES, Jewels of the Quill's second Christmas anthology, along with "In Cahoots With Cupid", Book 2 in her Kaleidoscope Series, available in MAGICAL KISSES, Jewels of the Quill's second Valentine's Day anthology.
Karen's first Dame collection, DAME AMETHYST TREASURES, is now available. ADVENTURES IN AMETHYST SERIES, her second Dame collection, is also now available. "Reckless Rose", Story 3 of the Adventures in Amethyst Series, was nominated for The Long and Short of It’s Best Romance of 2007 in the short print category. Her WOODCUTTER'S GRIM SERIES collection has been released from Whiskey Creek Press. WOODCUTTER'S GRIM SERIES received Dark Angel Reviews' Recommended Read, their highest review! Look for the KALEIDOSCOPE SERIES collection with the first five books in the series published in Jewels of the Quill anthologies, plus 2 bonus stories in the series never before published: “Cabin Fever” (Book 6) and "The Longest Night" (Book 7), coming December 2010 from WCP.
Click on the Books & Awards button above to purchase any of Karen's books.
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UNTIL IT'S GONE, You don't know what you've got...until it's gone. Mitch Taylor has been playing a very dangerous game. The lines between black and white, good and evil, saint and sinner are all blurred. Just when he thinks the stakes can't get any higher, in steps the only woman who could ever hurt him and the only one who can heal him. In the space of a skipped heartbeat, he can't imagine having more to gain...and more to lose.
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Rating: You need to read!! "In this wonderful read you will find great tortured characters: Mitch, a true wounded warrior, his sister, Julia, who was sold when she was 12, and Brenda, the woman who has always loved him. This is a very good romance filled with action, suspense and sweet sensual tension! Having read the first book in this series, I had a certain preconceived picture of Mitch’s character. He had been mixing with drug dealers for years, he had betrayed his love, Brenda, and it seemed he was definitely on his way down. So this book was full of surprises! Mitch gets out of prison and very soon finds Brenda at his door. He feels he is not worthy of her love and is shocked by what she has come to tell him. Mitch had betrayed Brenda many years ago to try to get her away from him even though he truly wants her…now more than ever. Add to the picture that Mitch still feels guilty because he wasn’t able to protect his younger sister when their drugged out father sold her to a dope dealer. Although he fears Julia is dead, certain people keep promising him they will find her for him– if he does what they want. When threats from his past start closing in, Mitch must figure a way to protect those he loves and to get his life right if he wants a future with them. This story is full of deep, abiding and unconditional love. The pain, confusion and love the characters experience can be felt through the excellent writing. The story is fast paced and full of action. Although this is the 5th in the series and can be read on its own, I think at least the first book would help to introduce all the characters and get the background history of Mitch and Brenda’s love story. I want to read the other books and I would heartily say that this is a book, and a full series, to really enjoy." ~reviewed by MarthaE for You Gotta Read Reviews http://yougottareadreviews.blogspot.com/2009/06/review-until-its-gone-by-karen-wiesner.html
“Karen Wiesner’s UNTIL IT’S GONE, the fifth book in her Wounded Warriors Series, proves yet again what a gifted pen Karen wields. She is a master at taking deeply wounded characters, characters who are often times unconventional heroes and heroines, and making the reader relate to and care for them. I ached for Mitch as he held his daughter and fought Brenda’s draw, knowing he had to leave them—deny them in order to protect them. But Brenda is not a woman who’ll easily let go of the dark knight she and her daughter love. As ever, in a Wiesner book, resolution is never easy, but it’s always just what the reader wants. I highly recommend UNTIL IT’S GONE as I do the entire series. Love those Wounded Warriors.” ~reviewed by multi-published, award-winning author Barbara Raffin www.BarbaraRaffin.com
"No one writes a better tormented hero better than Karen Wiesner, and Mitch Taylor in UNTIL IT'S GONE is one of her best! Karen gives readers another wonderful 'wounded warrior'. Strong, devoted and tormented, Mitch Taylor is on the brink of surrendering to the demons of his past until he meets the one woman whose love may be strong enough to save him. An adorable ten month old baby and word of his long-lost sister enter his life at the worst possible time, making UNTIL IT'S GONE a story of love and redemption sure to delight Ms. Wiesner's many fans." ~award-winning author Carrie S. Masek http://www.masek.net
4 Stars! "UNTIL IT'S GONE is a story of suspense and will keep you turning the pages. Karen Wiesner is a master of mixing suspense and romance. Her characters are well developed. Her plots are never lacking action, suspense, and romance." ~reviewed by Lynn for ReviewYourBook.com http://reviewyourbook.com/component/simple_review/?review=1731-Until-Its-Gone
4 Books! “Karen Wiesner sustains an undercurrent of suspense with subplots that filter into the love and lives of Brenda, Mitch and Haylee, keeping the reader at top alert for machinations that can rip their lives apart. She also creates situations that keep the reader guessing about which characters can be trusted and which ones are willing to use anybody and any means to reach their own goals regardless of the fallout—some good foreshadowing. The intrigues, personal agendas, and diverse characters make UNTIL IT’S GONE a multifaceted story that is emotionally charged.” ~reviewed by Camellia for Long and Short Romance Reviews http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.com/2009/06/until-its-gone-by-karen-wiesner.html
What's the story behind UNTIL IT'S GONE and what inspired you to write it? What about the characters in this book intrigued you?
UNTIL IT'S GONE, Book 5 of my Wounded Warriors Series is actually one of my oldest books. I wrote (more accurate to say I wrote and re-wrote) this story a good ten years ago. For several years, the publisher of the Wounded Warriors Series was putting the books out one after the other, at least two per year. Many things happened to get in the way of me continuing this series, and so UNTIL IT'S GONE sat on the shelf, needing major revisions for years before I took it out, re-wrote it and tried to get it published with the previous four books in the series. I finally realized the only way to get it published was to sell the series elsewhere. UNTIL IT'S GONE is finally available, after years of delays, and Books 1-5 in this series will also be reissued soon.
I was inspired to write this book even aside from it being the fifth in an ongoing series. Brenda is one of those women who simply can't let go when she falls in love--even when her own heart is telling her the relationship is destructive to her. And Mitch... Well, I'll just say that he's very much an Alpha hero--which is not at all my usual type of hero. In many ways, Mitch could be described as a black soul, corrupted by the very things that should make him feel worthwhile. I loved the idea of having this man who feels he's beyond redemption, beyond forgiveness gifted with a child of his own (by Brenda, the woman he's never stopped loving, of course). Haylee is an angel who changes everything in Mitch's life.
The story is also unusual for me because it includes another subplot romance, between the sister Mitch thought he lost, Julia, and his supervisor at the DEA. Eric Bradshaw has no choice but to bring Julia into custody when he finds out she's come looking for Mitch--at the worst possibly time, as Mitch has a ruthless drug dealer gunning for him. But is Bradshaw a friend...or an enemy?
What do you want to tell with your stories? Any message in your books?
First and foremost, I want to tell an engaging, breathtaking, emotional story with characters that feel real to my readers, characters that readers can love and root for, and will haunt them long after they finish reading. If I do include a message, it's subtle and very individual to that specific book.
Tell us something that no one else knows about you.
Being a published author who can sell an entire series simply on proposal isn't all it's cracked up to be. Don't get me wrong: I know I'm blessed and I truly am happy about this. Unfortunately, I love a good series. Most of my books aren't single titles, and that makes it difficult because it means I've got contracts and deadlines years in advance. And, even if I'm dying to go off and write a story that's just tugging relentlessly at me, I can't drop everything and do that, since it would be stopping in the middle of a series. In order to fulfill my contracts, I have to stay on schedule and not follow my muse wherever he wants to lead me. I have this book in my head (okay, I've got dozens of them, but this one is really, really nagging me) that I'm dying to write: an inspirational romance with a heroine who's not only clumsy, but annoying to almost everyone around her--inadvertently. She's actually a secondary character in a series book that I'm currently working on. I just fell in love with this loveable klutz the first time she hit the page, and it kills me not to tell her story immediately. So I have to say that sometimes I miss the early days of being a writer, when I could stop and start books based purely on inspiration.
What tools do you use as a writer? Pen and paper? Or computer and printer all the way?
All my strongest story ideas have brainstorming story folders that I pop handwritten notes into years in advance of writing the book. Once a story idea gets to the point of being outlined, I start working on the computer, printing out as I go. Once the outline is done and has had ample time to rest so I can gain distances from it, I write the first draft--based on the outline--on the computer, printing the chapters I write each day. Then I set the finished book aside for another few weeks or months so I don't get sick of it. When I'm ready to come back to it, I revise the book, a couple chapters a day, on the computer. This is where the bulk of my revision is done, and the story really becomes transformed at this point into something rich and layered and almost perfect. I print the full manuscript, and, the next time I come back to it, I do a final polish on the hard copy with a pen or pencil. Usually, the book is pretty clean at this point, but I still make corrections on every single page as I fine-tune my prose. Then I type the corrections on the computer in my story file, and it's finally ready for a critique partner to have a go at it. Following one final polish and printing, it's off to the publisher for edits. This makes it sound like I work on one project straight through, but I'm usually juggling four or five books in various stages of this process at one time.
What are you reading now?
I'm rarely reading just one book at a time. I just finished reading a thriller called THE DESCENT by Jeff Long and I'm now re-reading HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE in preparation for the upcoming movie. You can usually find me reading one of Agatha Christie's mysteries at least once a month, too. Hercule Poirot is my favorite, but I also love Miss Marple. I usually read a book or two per week.
Are titles important to you as a writer? Why/why not?
Absolutely. My titles are as important as the characters' names, the covers, the story itself! I think titles are something I'm pretty good at coming up with, so I would balk if a publisher ever asked me change one. So far it hasn't happened. Some of my favorite titles of my books are RESTLESS AS RAIN (heroine's nickname is Rain), TEARS ON STONE (a reference to the rock garden in the heroine's childhood home), "In Cahoots With Cupid" (the hero schemes with cupid--a baby with a droopy diaper--to win the heart of the woman he's loved most of his life), BOUNTY ON THE REBEL'S HEART (hero's name is Rebel and the heroine has to claim the bounty on his head--they fall in love in the process), RENEGADE'S ROSE (hero becomes a renegade from the organization he works for to save his sister and the only way to do that is to kidnap a bellydancer who's called the Spanish Rose), DANCE IN SHADOWS (forbidden love), "Blind Revenge" (a blind woman takes her revenge on the one she believes stole her sight), and "A Rose for Romeo" (heroine's name is Melina Rose, hero is called Scott "Romeo" Romero).
What would your life’s theme song be?
"Am I Getting Through" (Part 1), which is a Sheryl Crow song. Oddly, so many of her songs have profound meaning for me when I feel like we're pole opposites politically and personality-wise. I also have to cite "Give Me Your Eyes", a contemporary Christian song by Brandon Heath, which is very much a heart-cry of my own.
What can readers look for next from you?
FALCON'S BEND CASE FILES, Volume II with Chris Spindler (mystery/police procedural novella collection) was just released July 8, 2009; RELUCTANT HEARTS, Book 1 of the Wounded Warriors Series reissue (contemporary women’s fiction, coming August 14, 2009 in electronic formats; available now in trade paperback); "Behind Amethyst Eyes" (Kaleidoscope Series, Book 3, contemporary romance novella) coming in TALES FROM THE TREASURE TROVE, Volume V, A Jewels of the Quill Anthology (September 2009); DANCE IN SHADOWS, Book 9 of the Incognito Series (romantic suspense/action adventure, coming October 2009); WAITING FOR AN ECLIPSE, Book 2 of the Wounded Warriors Series reissue (contemporary women’s fiction, coming November 13, 2009 in electronic formats; available in July in trade paperback); SHADOW BOXING, Book 2 of the Family Heirloom Series (inspirational romance, coming November 1, 2009 in trade paperback). Find out more about my upcoming releases or register to be notified of my releases here: http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/kswiesner/index.html.
I’ve also submitted the following inspirational romantic mystery and I'm waiting for word: RETIRED AND ON THE ROCKS (Denim Blues Mysteries, Book 1 of a trilogy). Find out about my sales here: http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/kswiesner/fiction.html.
What are you working on now?
As I said earlier, I never write one story straight through, so I'm always working on about four or five projects at any given time. I’m currently writing, revising and polishing GLASS ANGELS, Book 4 of my Family Heirlooms Series (inspirational romance); revising and polishing HYPNOTIZED, Book 10 of my Incognito Series (romantic suspense/action adventure, coming March 2010); researching and outlining SHARDS OF ASHLEY, Book 5 of the Family Heirlooms Series (inspirational romance); and researching and outlining MIND GAMES, Book 11 of the Incognito Series (romance suspense/action adventure, coming October 2010). I'll start writing, revising and polishing MIND GAMES and possibly SHARDS OF ASHLEY this fall and winter. I also plan to outline “Wings of Love”, Book 1 of the Cowboy Fever Series (TALES FROM THE TREASURE TROVE, Volume VII, March 2011 release, WCP) and “A Friend in Need”, Book 4 of the Woodcutter’s Grim Series (CHRISTMAS GEMS, JOTQ Christmas anthology, September 2011 release, WCP) at the end of the year. Find out more about my works in progress here: http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/kswiesner/WIP.html.
View Special Guest Dame spotlight archives here: http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/kswiesner/guestjewelarchive.html
June's winner of a trade paperback of THE ANONYMOUS AMANUENSIS by Judith B. Glad (Dame Alexandrite) is Penney Wilfort of Hawthorne, CA. The bimonthly winner of SHADOWS IN THE HEART, A Jewels of the Quill Halloween Anthology, is Bill Shewbridge of Celebration, FL.
This month, Karen Wiesner (Dame Amethyst) is giving away an autographed trade paperback of UNTIL IT'S GONE and a download of the book {2 winners}.
USA and Canadian winners only for tangible prizes; if the winner is outside the USA, the contributing author, at her discretion, may substitute a download in place of the original prize.
Due to excessive spam, Jewels of the Quill no longer accepts guestbook entries or e-mailed entries. All giveaway entries are subscriber-based. Only those subscribed to our monthly newsletter will be eligible to win prizes. All members currently subscribed and set to receive mail (not "no mail" or "special announcements only") will automatically be eligible every month. We're sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
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