New here? I write fast-paced, slow-burn paranormal romance where strong women, good men, and impossible pressure push love to its limits. 💜

The Front Page

Hello from the still-fangirling trenches!

Last week, I promised to tell you about meeting my favourite author at the Seattle signing—and not only did I get to meet Patricia D. Eddy, I was fortunate enough to have my table right beside hers.

Yes, I managed to contain my excitement and behave like a reasonably normal person. Mostly. Maybe.

Patricia writes paranormal romance and protector romance filled with characters who come alive on the page and stories you never want to end. Getting to spend the day beside her was a true thrill—and one of the highlights of an already incredible weekend. (See pictures below).

Instagram video of KJ being interviewed.

Patricia is also the reason I ended up being interviewed.

Scott from @SCOTTS_TABLE_READ was at the event talking to authors, and I had absolutely no intention of volunteering. Patricia, however, had other ideas and convinced me to do it. 💜

Scott had told me he would ask questions, which explains why the video begins with me telling him to ask me something. Apparently, I needed a little direction once we started recording.

Click on the image to watch the video.

And if you're wondering why the covers are my old covers... I think it's because Scott took them off GoodReads. You can see all the current covers here.

In other news, I’ve selected the July winners who will each receive one of my hand-stamped metal bookmarks. If you entered, check your inbox—you might have a message from me waiting there.

And things are moving behind the scenes too.

If everything goes according to plan, I’ll have the first of my audiobooks—with storyboards—uploaded to my YouTube channel next week. You can visit the channel and subscribe now so you’ll know as soon as it’s available.

I’ll also have more to share about my new Fated Witches of Calderon series, which begins at the end of this month. Right now, I’m polishing the first book and getting everything ready to introduce you to a new group of witches, their fated mates, and a magical brownstone at the heart of their story.

Me with Patricia D. Eddy and holding the first book of hers I ever read, Braving His Past.

Now... onto this week's question...

✨ The 52-Week Journey — Week 31/52 ✨

Last week I asked: If protecting yourself hurt someone else, could you still do it?

You said: Both! It was a tie! (the only one in 31 weeks!)

This week: Would you rather be the person everyone relies on… or the person someone finally protects?

Relied On

Protected

Full Rules, Deadline, & Details Here.

There’s a lot coming—and I can’t wait to share it with you. 💜 /KJ

P.S. I didn't say what August's prize will be because I don't know yet. Any suggestions? Naming a character? Hand-stamped metal bookmarks? A signed book? Something else?

Behind The Pages

The Story Behind the Story

Part 3: Knowing When to Let Go

Part 1: Link || Part 2: Link:

Over the past few weeks, I've talked about the changes that happen between the story I first imagine and the book you eventually read. Some are enormous. Others are hundreds of tiny decisions made one scene at a time.

But I'm not making all of those decisions in a vacuum.

Before one of my books reaches you, other people read it too. Sometimes alpha readers, beta readers, critique partners, editors... and every one of them brings a different perspective to the story.

One person loves a scene, but another thinks it missed the mark. Someone wants more explanation while someone else thinks I've explained too much. A character one person adores might drive another reader crazy.

In the end, every decision is still mine. The difficult part is deciding which opinions to listen to.

They're all telling me honestly how they experienced the story, but that doesn't mean I should make every change they suggest. Sometimes several people point out the same problem, which is a pretty good indication I need to take another look. Other times, one person's suggestion immediately feels right. And sometimes, I know that making a suggested change would take the story in a direction I don't want it to go.

That's when I have to trust my gut.

Eventually, I have to believe I've listened, considered the possibilities, made the best decisions I can, and written a good enough story to let go.

There will always be readers who don’t like it, another opinion I could ask for, and something I could change myself. Every time I read through a manuscript, I find something. A sentence could flow a little better. A character could react differently. Maybe a conversation would be stronger if I added to it. And sometimes those changes absolutely make the book better.

But there comes a point when I have to trust my gut. Know that I've listened to other people's opinions, made the changes I believe will strengthen the story, and made plenty of changes of my own. If I keep looking for one more thing to fix—or waiting until everyone loves every part of the story—I'll never publish anything.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about progress over perfection, and I think that's where this three-part series ends too. At some point, I have to stop asking what else I could change, close the manuscript, and let the story become yours.

Because if I never stop trying to improve it, you'll never get to read it. / KJ💜

My favourite author talked me into it…💜