Monday, February 22, 2010

Guest Blogger, Susan Kearney

Please join me in welcoming bestseller author Susan Kearney as the special guest blogger here today at Thoughts in Progress.

Susan is beginning a Blog Tour today for her latest release, Jordan.” The tour will conclude on Friday, March 5.

Thanks to Susan and the Hachette Book Group, I have five copies of Susan’s latest release to give away. The giveaway will deadline on Friday, March 5. To enter, simply send me an e-mail with “Win Jordan” in the subject line and include her name and address in the body of the e-mail. The giveaway is only open to U.S. and Canadian residents and no post office boxes will be accepted.

Susan joins us here today to talk about the authors and books that inspired her to become a writer.

I was always a reader. I stole books from my mother’s nightstand and put them back after devouring them in a day. I took Playboy Magazines from my dad’s stash and secretly read them (and probably ruined my eyesight reading by a nightlight). I grew up reading science fiction, Asimov, Heinlein, Clark, EE Doc Smith, and to me a library was heaven.

But I never considered being a writer—not even after my grandmother gave me my first romance and I started devouring them. I didn’t like English. Didn’t like reading the classics and graduated the University of Michigan with a degree in business.

After I’d had children and they were on a swim team, I continued readings during practice. I read a book by Johanna Lyndsay, Warrior’s Woman, a futuristic romance set on another world and loved it. She’d combined my
two favorite genres, science fiction and romance. And I wanted to read more books like it . . . only there weren’t any. So I decided to write one.

I knew nothing. My first book had no commas. It was six hundred pages and had no chapters. I didn’t know how to type. And every thought was in

quotes. No it didn’t sell—at least not then but THE CHALLENGE was my 38th book published. My road to publication was a little sidetracked by the market. I couldn’t sell my first love—futuristic romance. There simply wasn’t a publisher buying them back then—not unless the writer was famous already.

But I was bitten by the writing bug and sold romantic suspense for a few years, then contemporary romance, even a Star Trek, book but finally, finally, finally, I got to write what I love. 

And JORDAN is one of my all time favorite books. It’s one of my best covers, too. But it’s the characters who I love. A warrior who’s lived for centuries. Men and women who can shift into dragons. And lots of adventure and romance. 

All of my books stand alone. You won’t be lost if you haven’t read Lucan and Rion before you read Jordan. Oh . . . did I mention the stories are tied to Arthurian legends?  If you’d like to read an excerpt they are posted on my site at www.susankearney.com

Susan thanks so much for joining us today. It seems funny for you to talk about a book with no commas and no chapters. I’m glad to know that you did finally get your first book published.

Susan’s 50-plus books include contemporary, romantic suspense, historical, futuristic, science fiction, paranormal novels. She resides in a suburb of Tampa with her husband, kids, Boston terriers and iguana. Currently Susan is plotting her way through her 52nd work of ficton.

Here a brief synopsis of “Jordan” - Vivianne Blackstone devotes herself to her career, putting her love life on hold. Her latest project is a spaceship designed to protect Earth from the deadly Tribes. But its engineer, the alluring Jordan McArthur, now threatens both her job and her wary heart . . .

Jordan's past goes back to King Arthur, and he must find the ancient artifact that can save the galaxy. Vivianne's ship is his best hope, but convincing the fiercely independent beauty won't be easy. Especially when the passion flaring between them burns through their defenses - and love is the last thing they need to survive.

16 comments:

  1. Susan, I grew up loving science fiction and still love it today.

    To have written so many books, I am in awe of you. Your newest books sounds inviting.

    Thanks, Mason.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oooh..Arthurian legends. Love those! You've got amazing productivity and creativity for 50 plus books! Thanks for visiting Mason's blog today...

    Elizabeth
    Mystery Writing is Murder

    ReplyDelete
  3. I enjoy both science fiction & romance as well - your books should be right up my alley :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. What an amazing journey, from that first manuscript to this! It's always intriguing to see the twists and turns in a writer's road. Thanks for sharing, Susan and Mason.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mason - Thanks so much for hosting Susan : ). Susan - I'm in awe of how much you've accomplished! I admire you for writing fantasy, too. That requires so much creativity on the part of the writer. You've had to put the reader in a whole new world, and that takes talent.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I, too, love the cover. The number of books you've published is mind-boggling. (Awesome is probably a better word.)

    Helen
    Straight From Hel

    ReplyDelete
  7. "stories are tied to Arthurian legends"

    Now THAT's very cool! Looks like a splendid tour you've set up. Thanks for sharing with us today and best wishes for a smashingly successful tour and many, many sales!

    The Old Silly

    ReplyDelete
  8. It sounds absolutely wonderful--I LOVE Arthurian legends! Cool!!!!

    Can't wait to read it. :-D

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks everyone for stopping by today. It is amazing what all Susan has written about and to have 50-plus books is beyond amazing. Schedules permitting Susan will drop back by later on today.

    Susan, thanks again for guest blogging here today. Jordan and the series sounds intriguing. I'm looking forward to reading it. I remember reading Lyndsay's Warrior's Woman and enjoying it too.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Continued success Susan. I'll take inspiration from your story of not being able to sell your first manuscript to keep my focus that it will soon happen for me.
    You take care and thanks for sharing your time with us here at Mason's thoughts in progress.
    Warm regards,
    Simone

    ReplyDelete
  11. How nice to see Susan making the blog rounds again! Much success, Susan!

    No need to enter me (if you saw my TBR mountain range, you'd understand why). I'm dropping in to say thanks for the e-mail. I've got this posted at Win a Book for you.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Every writer seems to have a different path to take in this business. But I love writing futuristics. And thanks for coming along on the journey with me.
    Susan Kearney

    ReplyDelete
  13. King Arthur in Space. I love it. And my wee little heart is going piddy-pat from the cover. I'm sure the story is excellent, too. Thanks, Mason!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Where have I been? I'm so glad Mason visited my blog and in turn I visited here and found another wonderful writer. AND she's written a Star Trek book. Very cool! Thanks, Mason!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Carol, the cover does catch your attention doesn't it?

    Kathi, thanks for dropping by. Glad to make a connection with you and your blog. Trekkies have to stick together. :)

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm so excited to have won a copy of this book--I can't wait to read it! YAY!

    ReplyDelete

I'd love to hear your thoughts on today's post. Thanks for dropping by.