Happy Hogmanay!

You read it right...Happy Hogmanay!
Only one nation in the world celebrates the New Year or Hogmanay with such revelry and passion – the Scots!

It is believed that many of the traditional Hogmanay celebrations were originally brought to Scotland by the invading Vikings in the early 8th and 9th centuries. These Norsemen, or men from an even more northerly latitude than Scotland, paid particular attention to the arrival of the Winter Solstice or the shortest day, and fully intended to celebrate its passing with some serious partying.

When the clock strike midnight on 31st December, fireworks explode in Scotland. Crowds gather and the party begins to the tune of Robert Burns' Auld Lang Syne.






Traditions and superstitions related to Hogmanay:

One should clean the house on December 31st (this includes taking out the ashes from the fire).

One should clear all your debts before "the bells" ring at midnight.

One should welcome friends and strangers with warm hospitality and a kiss and to wish everyone a Guid New Year. It is verra important to clear out the vestiges of the old year before you welcome in a young, New Year.

"First footing" is still common in Scotland. To ensure good luck, the first person to enter your home should be male, dark (believed to be a throwback to the Viking days when blond strangers arriving on your doorstep meant trouble) This male should bring coal, shortbread, salt, black buns and whisky.

"Handselling" is the custom of gift giving on the first Monday of the New Year. So be sure to present your loved ones with a Hogmanay gift this year.

Huzzah!
Kimberly

Facts, Fiction, Research...oh my...

Readers often email me to ask me about research. Sometimes they simply want to know if I hold a Masters in history and sometimes they want to point out what I did wrong.

Well, I don't hold a Masters in history. In truth, I never like history in school, but I do enjoy researching now. Partly because it is a means to procrastinate and partly because I find it fascinating. I recently had a woman email me to tell me how much she enjoyed my latest release, HIGHLAND DRAGON, but also pointed out that my heroine was liable to make the hero and his kin sick because she had picked rowan berries and they ate them. Apparently raw rowan berries will give you a stomach ache. I didn’t know that. Which is what I told her. LOL She was so tickled to discover that she had taught me something, that she dug out the newspaper article she had read on the subject and mailed it to me. FROM SCOTLAND!

I didn’t mind. Actually I thought is was kind of cool. We writers have so much to worry about that sometimes, yes, we can get the research wrong. For example, in HIGHLAND DRAGON, I also used the scent of honeysuckle to describe my heroine. Prior to publication, one of my critique partners pointed out that honeysuckle was not native to Scotland. Sheesh! What’s a girl to do? So I changed the name of the flower to the Gaelic word for sugar: siùcair.

Is it really that important to get it all right? Well, there are some readers out there who would say yes. I for one, like to focus on the romance and hope for the best, but if you are one of those crazed-diehard-must-get-it-right people, then here are a few website to assist you with your research…Enjoy!

COSTUME:
12th & 13th Century Clothing - Definitions
18th Century Costume Terminology
By the Sword
Historical Clothing Terms
Crinolines Fashion History
Deb's Historical Research Page
Measurement in the Middle Age
Medieval Clothing Terms
Medieval Fashion Glossary-Images
Noble Ware
The Tudor Shoppe
Clothing Of The Fifteenth Century

SCOTLAND
History of the Scottish Kilt
History of the Tartan
Reconstructing History — Scottish Historical Clothing Research
Scottish Women's Clothing

ITALY
Italian Dress
Italian Renaissance Clothing 1420-1520
Italian Renaissance

DICTIONARIES / GLOSSARIES:
Arms and Armour Terms
Emotion Thesaurus
Color-terms
Dictionary of Baby Names, Meanings and Origins
Dictionary
Etymology Dictionary
English/Irish Dictionary
Herb & Spice Dictionary
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
MSN Encarta
Navy Slang
One Look
Pirate Glossary
Regency Cant and Expressions
Regency Lexicon
Renaissance Faire Glossary
Scots Dialect
Scots Terms
Scottish Vernacular Dictionary
Sex-Lexis.com
Ships Glossary
Slang

MEDIEVAL:
Terms for Castle, Armor, Weaponry
Clothing Terms
Job Listing
Insults and Slang of the 15th Century
Medieval English Towns
Knighthood, Chivalry & Tournament
THE MIDDLE AGES-Lots of Links

FOOD:
Medieval-Themed Restaurants
Medieval and Renaissance Food
The Medieval Kitchen

MONEY:
Historical Money
The DiCamillo Companion
Money in Florence, Italy
Measurement in the Middle Ages

NAMES:
Baby Names
Fake Name Generator
Regency Names
Medieval Names
Medieval Naming Guide
Scottish Boy Names
Scottish Girl Names
Scottish Names 101
Victorian Era Names

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If that isn’t enough to make your eyes cross, feel free to visit my writers page for more...

Huzzah!
Kimberly Killion
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HIGHLAND DRAGON ~ ON SALE NOW!
4-STARS from RT Book Reviews "This is a tale to cherish."
www.kimberlykillion.com

It's Release Day!...well sort of.

It's October! I should probably dazzle you with wit or teach you something of value like the importance of action tags over dialogue tags, but I'm not going to...why? Because my second release, HIGHLAND DRAGON, hit the shelves today. (Kinda)

Here's the thing...the publisher said the release date was October 6th, but the street date and the online date are different from what I gather. And what's even more exciting is that HIGHLAND DRAGON went to a second printing before its release date!! Whoot!! I'm so thrilled to have this blog spot today to tell you about the book. You see HIGHLAND DRAGON is the book of my heart. I actually wrote it before my debut, HER ONE DESIRE.

To expand...HIGHLAND DRAGON is the book I put through the ringer on the contest circuit. She brought home more than a dozen finals and seven first place wins. She has made me proud but consumed me for more than a year. Blood, seat, and tears I tell ya!

Now I can hardly go on and on about this book without giving you a little taste, now can I? :)

And get thee over to my contest page. I'm hosting a week long soirée where I'm giving away books and a critique.

Remember...Fall in Love Everyday... ;)
Kimberly

Secrets and lies have a price that must be paid in blood through the generations. In medieval Scotland, Laird Calin MacLeod must choose between avenging his father's death and surrendering to the passion he finds in the arms of his enemy's daughter.

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EXCERPT of HIGHLAND DRAGON by Kimberly Killion

"The devil himself could seduce a maiden in this solar."

Calin lifted one brow beneath her fingertips. "I have nay intention of seducing ye."

"If ye dinnae intend to seduce me, how are ye to take my…virginity?"

A rogue's grin curled one side of his mouth, as if he knew something she didn't. "I'll never force ye to do anything ye dinnae want to do. Nor will I touch ye anywhere ye dinnae want to be touched. Tonight, Akira MacLeod. Tonight, ye will take your own virginity. I'll just offer my…assistance."

Akira hooted. "Though I admit to being ignorant to…matters of…coupling, I am certain ye will need to participate in…this."

"I intend to participate fully," he assured then dropped her to her feet. He turned from her and proceeded to disrobe to his plaid. Pale white scars veining his back spoke of the time he'd spent in battle, and she knew he displayed them and the blue battle rings with pride. She wanted to know the depth of his losses, but now wasn't the time to speak of war.

He washed briefly at the basin then turned back to her, exposing the golden ripples of a magnificent chest. He settled casually onto the high-backed bench cushioned with burgundy damask. Careful not to topple the two goblets of wine on the dressing table, he scooped up a handful of rowan berries from a wooden bowl and popped them, one by one, into his mouth.

"Would ye like to start seducing me now or wait 'til the bed has been blessed?"

She knew nothing about seducing a man, but the thought of it made her insides thick and her breasts heavy. Her nerves spiked and she could do little more than banter with him. "I think ye are arrogant, Calin MacLeod. And if ye think I'll be the one ravishing ye, ye are deceiving yourself."

"Tsk, tsk, wife. Ye must conserve your energy. Ye are going to need it." Calin revealed his dimples with this threat while his eyes traveled leisurely over her body.

She remained standing in the middle of the room, hoping Father Harrald would arrive quickly. Calin's heated gaze made her feel naked and vulnerable. How did he do that? The heavy gown she wore suddenly felt as thin as a threadbare shift. Her skin tingled against the silk and she wondered if she'd just married the devil. Only a hex could make her feel this wanton. He chewed slowly on the berry he'd just popped in his mouth, and her body tightened, wanting to know the feel of those lips on her skin. She crossed her arms over her breasts in an effort to subdue the sensations flitting inside her. Closing her eyes, she asked God's forgiveness for her sinful thoughts.

Her prayers were answered when Father Harrald staggered through the open door, bringing with him the smell of burning frankincense. Kendrick, Gordon, and Alec guarded the entranceway behind her as if she might bolt from this duty. Admittedly, the thought had occurred to her.

Silent reverence filled the room as the priest spread a cloth over the tabletop and prepared the oils. Calin remained seated while Father Harrald made the sign of the cross against his forehead. The priest then wavered slightly when he turned to her and did the same. He proceeded to sprinkle the bed with holy water and recite the prayer that would bless their union. Her tension eased when the priest turned and stood before her again. His dark eyes glazed with approval when he opened his mouth to speak.

"Father Harrald," Gordon shouted from behind, "your duty is done. 'Tis time we return to the festivities."

Father Harrald offered her a faraway look and kissed her on the forehead saying nothing more.
Alec stepped forward, his eyes downcast. "Aileen is in the corridor if ye have need of a maid to prepare ye, m'lady."

"She has nay need of a maid. I will prepare her."

Even Father Harrald grinned at Calin's comment, and Akira was sorely tempted to kick all of them. Before she could offer her own barb, the men ushered Father Harrald from the room and left her in silence with her husband.

"The bed has been blessed, and I believe ye were about to seduce me."

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OK...so since I'm in PR mode...anyone else have a release out this month? Tell us about it...

Getting to know your characters.

Sound like a fun topic? Well sometimes it is and sometimes you have tight-lipped, arrogant, pain-in-the-arse heroes who won’t play fair.

So how do you get them to talk?

Bribe them. Talk dirty to them. Tempt them with chocolate. But whatever you do, don’t ask them about their mothers. Especially the alpha male. He is particularly protective of his personal relationship with his mother. She might have ignored him. Or maybe she demanded too much of him. Regardless of your hero’s “Mommy issues” you must dig deep to find what makes him tick.
When I start a book, the first thing I do is figure out who my characters are. I like to start with the hero. This was the starting point for the hero in my upcoming release, HIGHLAND DRAGON.
Laird Calin MacLeod—28, Dark blond shoulder length hair with braids at the temples; amber eyes.

Goals:
-To avenge his father’s death.
-Fulfill the vow his father made to Akira’s mother to protect her.
-To unite the clans for purposes of protecting the Isles.

Something else I must know before I start a book is how my hero will curse. For example will he say “God’s hooks!” or “Jesu!” or “Damn the saints!” Maybe he says all three, but there has to be a reason why he says this. If he says “Damn the saints” is it because his grandfather taught him all about the saints when he was growing up?

Another expletive I have to figure out is what will he say when he stubs his toe. In other words, what does he say for “ouch”? Since my hero is Scottish he might say “Ack” or “Och” or “Bluidy hell!”

What does he say when he’s frustrated. A contemporary heroine might say, “Oh my God!” But not my 16th century hero. He might say “Ouish!”

Some of these words you can make up. Some of them you can research. I’ve found some really entertaining lists. This is one of my favorites: http://scribe.faire.net/faqs/Glossary.htm

Last, but certainly not least, I have to find a picture of all my characters prior to their entry into my story. This collage was my vision for HIGHLAND DRAGON.

So how do you develop your characters? What are some attributes you have to know before you can get started?

Kimberly
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HIGHLAND DRAGON ~ Oct. 2009
4-STARS from RT Book Reviews "This is a tale to cherish."
www.kimberlykillion.com

OMG! I'm finished...

Those are the words every author loves to say, but how long do you bask in the glory of "OMG! I'm finished"?

Well, I've been basking in it for about a half-day and I'm already looking at the calendar wondering when I can finish another one. Really, that's bad. I need to let my creative juices replenish the well that is bone dry. I need to play a little. Visit a few blogs. Socialize on my networking communities. Prepare for conference. Well, really what I need to do is get ready for the launch of my next book, but that's an entirely different blog...

I should probably go back through it. Right? I should consider writing an epilogue. Right? At what point can I let them go and accept that my characters really are living their HEA? This feeling of closure isn't comfortable to me right now. I don't want to let go. I like them. I like where they ended up and I want to stay and play a while. Let's face it, we went through Hell to get to the HEA, why can't we play there awhile?

As you can see from the brevity of this post...I'm all out of words...

So help me out here...At what point do you start brainstorming another book? Or are you one of those authors who has stacks of ideas filed away in your head?

Kimberly Killion
HER ONE DESIRE ~ RITA® Finalist
HIGHLAND DRAGON ~ Oct. 2009
SUMMER SIZZLER ~ 16 books + $25 giftcard ~ Sign up now...
www.kimberlykillion.com

Hooray, hooray, it's the first of May...

Are you one of those author types who will get up this morning and check all your promo loops to see where you can pimp your book? Or are you on that fancy promo loop that reminds you daily where you can pimp your book, how often, and what the rules are?

I’m that person. Or at least I used to be, but I’m starting to wonder about all those yahoo groups. I’m on a few…ok…57. *blush* But in the past few weeks I have started going no mail on a lot of them. A girl’s got to wonder how many books are you really selling to other authors? This whole promo thing has me mind-boggled. Speaking to other authors, how many books do you read a month? I wish I could give you a number that was double-digits, but I’m lucky to read one book a month.

So who is on all these promo loops and blogs? Is it other authors (who may or may not be buying books) or is it truly the beloved readers? I know what you’re going to say “Writers are readers, too”. Aren’t you just a little curious as to how many of those 2,464 members on Romance Junkies Readers are really readers and how many are writers?

So what’s your opinion? Are we all just a group of writers pimping our books to each other and no one is really buying?

Here is a list of “some” of the groups I belong too.
CataNetwork-Authors
CataNetwork-Readers
CataNetwork-Writers
Chatting_with_Joyfully_Revi...
cupidslibraryreviews
dangerouswomen
heathersromancebookclub
HHRWGen
HRCRomance
karenfindoutaboutnewbooks
LoversofRomance
novelsisterhood
PromoOnly
Promotion_Loop_Schedule
RomanceCafe
romancedivas
romanceexcerptsonly
RomanceJunkiesReaders
romancingthepast
RosesColoredGlasses
RWRpirates
SeducedByHistory
The_Haunt_at_PNR
theromanceroom
welcometotemptation
writerspromotips

Thanks for reading!
Kim

____________________________________________________
Kimberly Killion
HER ONE DESIRE ~
RITA Finalist - Best First Book
National Readers Choice Awards Finalist - Historical Category
HIGHLAND DRAGON ~ October 2009/Zebra Books
http://www.kimberlykillion.com/

It's Hunt-the-Gowk Day...be wary...

In Scotland April Fools' Day is actually celebrated for two days and is known as "Hunting the gowk". The second day is devoted to pranks involving the posterior region of the body. It is called Taily Day. The origin of the "kick me" sign can be traced to this observance.

Hunt-the-Gowk day falls on the week of April 1 when bairns of all ages play pranks on others then shout "April Fool" at their victim. In this more sophisticated age the practice seems to be dying out but it does remind us that in the past Kings and Nobles all had their Jester or Fool. One of the most famous in Scotland was Aberdeenshire's Jamie Fleeman, the Laird of Udny's Fool. He lived in the eighteenth century and was well known for his wit.

The history of April Fools' Day, sometimes called All Fools' Day, is not clear. There is no first "April Fools' Day" that can be pinpointed on the calendar, although it is known to date back at least to the sixteenth century. Most historians believe that April Fool’s Day originated in continental northern Europe and then spread to Britain.

More about April Fools' Day around the world...

• France - French children fool their friends by taping a paper fish to their backs. When the young victim discovers this trick, the prankster yells "Poisson d'Avril!" (April Fish!)

• England - Tricks can be played only in the morning. If a trick is played on you, you are a "noodle".

• Mexico – the counterpart of April Fools' Day is observed on December 28. Originally, the day was a sad remembrance of the slaughter of the innocent children by King Herod. It eventually evolved into a lighter commemoration involving pranks and trickery.

• Portugal - April Fools' is celebrated on the Sunday and Monday before Lent. The traditional trick there is to throw flour at your friends.

  

So be wary on this day. If someone calls, claiming to be giving birth, you might want to think on it before calling 911. My son lost a tooth last night and is playing to take the fake blood from Halloween to school to play a little prank on his teacher. I hope she has a sense of humor...

Did anyone ever prank you? Do tell...

Kimberly Killion

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HER ONE DESIRE ~ 2009 Best First Book RITA Finalist
HIGHLAND DRAGON ~ October 2009/Zebra Books

www.kimberlykillion.com

2009 RITA Nominee

I am thrilled to announced that my debut book, HER ONE DESIRE, has been nominated for a RITA in the Best First Book category.

A little about the award:

The RITA Award is Romance Writers of America's® highest award of distinction. The awards are presented annually to the best published romance novels of the year. The award itself is a golden statuette named after RWA's first president, Rita Clay Estrada, and has become the symbol for the best in published romance fiction.

A little about the contest:

Up to 1,200 romance novels from 12 different categories are entered each year in the RITA competition. Novels can be entered either by their authors or by the books' publisher. After the first round of judging by fellow published romance authors, the competition narrows to approximately 100 finalists. Winners of the awards will be announced July 18th at the RITA and Golden Heart Awards Ceremony to be held at RWA’s 29th Annual National Conference in Washington, D.C.

For a complete list of all the finalist, go to the RWA website.

If you get a chance, check out my website to get a peek of HER ONE DESIRE.

Huzzah!
Kimberly