12 Honeymoons by K.L. Brady

Today I’m happy and honored to have the amazing K.L. Brady here, and she has kindly allowed me to interrogate…er…I mean interview her.
Over to you Karla

1. Have you always has a vivid imagination?
Oh my goodness yes. I’ve always had a flair for embellishing true stories. When I was a kid, I endured some difficult situations that might break most kids. But I took my pen to paper and wrote in my diaries and this helped pull me through my most difficult times. And I would always begin with the true a story, embellish it, and then write my own happy ending. I have no doubt this is why people who read my stories connect with the characters on a real, honest level. My stories are always grounded in truth, but my endings are where the imagination comes in.
 
2. Karla, I know you write adult fiction as well as YA Fiction, do you see yourself writing any other genre?

Yes, I plan on stretching my talents wherever I can find a story to tell that I think my audience wants to read. I started my career writing romantic comedy for adults and young adults because I believe in tackling serious relationship issues, familial or between men and women, with heavy doses of humor. Writing funny stories is very natural for me. But I’ve also stepped the world of romantic suspense/spy thrillers, which has been a challenge for me. The story structure is different from what I’m used to writing, but I love trying new genres that fit within my world and yet still stretch my capabilities.

3. When you're reading for pleasure, do you find yourself researching the craft of that author as well? 

Usually, I don’t read for research, but as an author it’s hard to read for pleasure and not also see the story elements that helped make a story successful or unsuccessful. But any author writing stories today understands that they are not doing anything “new.” None of us has invented a new way to tell stories or new tricks. What we do is take the tried and true and then put our personal spin on it to make it our own. But I think reading books is imperative for authors to understand how to become and stay successful and is just part of the business of writing books.
 
4. Do you have a favorite author? Or favorite book?

My gosh, yes. I have too many favorite books. Too many favorite authors. It would be very difficult for me to pin my favorite down to one because I like authors for different reasons. For example, Toni Morrison is a literary genius and reading her books really stretches the bounds of my comprehension skills. I’m so not a deep thinker. I’m very much a left-brained, logical, analytical person with a few right-brained creative abilities. She forces me to step outside of my logical boxes and expand my thinking. I love Terry McMillan because she was the first author to affirm for me that “my voice” as a writer, which is very colloquial and non-literary, was okay. I don’t have to be Toni Morrison to write books people love. I love Jane Austen because Pride & Prejudice made her the queen of the romantic comedy in my eyes, and she’s proof positive that romantic comedies and humor are timeless. Without question, the author I’d most like to emulate in terms of work ethic is the late L.A. Banks. She is a writing hero for me. I only met her once in person, but she had such a profound impact on me and my view of the publishing industry. I could add so many more authors to this list, but I won’t. It’s safe to say I’m inspired by any author who works hard, respects their craft, and tells great stories. 

5. How do you manage working full-time, being a full-time mother and writing?

I don’t know. By the grace of God and with lots of patience on some days, and with a belt and a mojito on others. (lol) I think it’s a difficult balancing act that most writers have to contend with, and somehow we just make it work. It helps that I love writing so much that it doesn’t feel like work, and I look forward to the moments I get to spend in my writing space. I’m usually up at 5 am writing or marketing. Then I do more work during my lunch break and then still more after my son goes to bed in the evenings. I’m usually up until 11 pm to midnight working on projects, and I work most weekends. I usually don’t get out a lot to socialize, but, again, I love what I'm doing, and I want to bring as many of my stories as possible to readers. 

6. What is one tip you would give aspiring authors?

If I could give writer’s one piece of advice, it would be to write your truth, whatever that may be. Stay true to yourself and your writing voice. Don’t try to follow trends. Don’t try to write in another author’s style because it’s not a sustainable way to build a career. You may not zoom to the top of the NY Times Bestseller list this way, but you can rest assured that when you get there, you’ll know how to stay there. Through your work and toil, you stayed true to who you are as a writer, and you know how to build stories. Along with this piece of advice, it’s so critical to learn the craft of writing and storytelling. Read books, take classes, and remember that learning is a continual process that should never end. The minute you think you know everything is probably the moment you will fail miserably.

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Miki Vincent's entire life stalled because she's addicted to the beginnings of things, especially relationships. She relishes in the emotional highs, first hugs, first kisses that new love brings. But sex always ruins it. That's why abstaining during the first three months of a relationship—following the 90-day rule—was supposed to help land her down the aisle with Mr. Right. Miki finds out the hard way, Mr. Wrong can wait that long, especially if his ultimate prize is her inheritance.
 
One assault charge and depression later, Miki devises the Honeymoon Plan, guaranteeing her a lifetime of firsts and zero heartaches. But following her own rule sends her life into an out of control spiral in which she's sentenced to more than perpetual break-ups. A new pursuit and a string of sexy suitors offer her the opportunity to jumpstart her life and test her new strategy. The only problem? It just might work.
 
Miki's best friend Pam, a repressed artist, struggles to keep her honeymoon alive but she can no longer ignore the blatant evidence staring her in the face: Her husband is having an affair. A different kind of "honeymoon plan" designed to free her from her troubles, and a chance meeting with a handsome artistic stranger, help reignite her passions. But will they destroy her marriage in the process?
 
Excerpt:
 
A Friday in April that year…
 
Crushing fear and chronic romantic failures taught me in a single hour what my mother tried unsuccessfully to teach me in twenty-nine years: If I wanted to be truly happy, I needed to think like a woman—a smart one. And if I emerged from this courtroom with my freedom, that’s exactly what I planned to do. As my glance traveled across to the prosecution’s side and zeroed in on the bogus victim, four numbers seared into my brain: 90—15—3—6. Thinking like a man and following the 90-day rule was about 15 minutes and 3 strikes from landing me in jail for 6 months.
 
“Your Honor, I’d like to cite Pena versus the Commonwealth—” I started before he gave me the hand.
 
“There is no burden to prove intent in a simple assault case, Ms. Vincent. Nice try.”
 
Strike one. On to Plan B.
 
“S-S-Sorry, uh, sir…your honor,” I stammered. “I swear to you...I did not unjustly harm Mr. Wiggins.”

AUTHOR Bio and Links:
 
K. L. Brady is a D.C. native but spent a number of her formative years in the Ohio Valley. Her writing career started in the pages of diaries when she was 7 or 8 years old. But it wasn’t until her 40th birthday and an Oprah “Live Your Best Life” moment that she finally answered her calling and wrote her first novel–The Bum Magnet. The originally self-published novel was picked up by Simon & Schuster in a two-book deal, and K.L. hasn’t looked back since, penning the follow-up, Got a Right to Be Wrong and self-publishing the first books in two young adult series and a spy thriller series based on her 20+-year career in the U.S. Intelligence Community.
 
She has a B.A. in Economics, an MBA, and is a member of the Maryland Writer’s Association, Romance Writers of America, Sisters In Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She’s addicted to writing and chocolate—not necessarily in that order—and currently lives in the Washington D.C. area with her son. She is hard at work on several projects, including the next installment of the series.
 
Website: www.KLBradyAuthor.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KLBrady
Twitter: www.twitter.com/KarlaB27

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Giveaway

The author will be awarding $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner, and a Kindle Fire HD (International Giveaway) to another randomly drawn winner.
Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here: 
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