All Kimber Chin Novels are covered by the Great Read Guarantee.
What is the Great Read Guarantee?
Aspiring writers are told “write what you know”.
I took that advice to heart.
I know two things… business (based on decades in new business development) and romance (based on falling and staying in love with the man of my dreams).
September 2, 2009
September 3, 2009
September 10, 2009
A Short Story On Author Island
September 10, 2009
September 15, 2009
September 21, 2009
October 12, 2009
Interview And Fave Paranormal Book Contest
December 1, 2009
December 6, 2009
Host - My Christmas Traditions
February 15, 2010
Click On here to start reading from the beginning
It was seven hours before she found out how Tyler’s mom knew so much about her.
“So you see, we had to stay away,” the words flowed out of the dear lady’s mouth. “We promised Tyler. He threatened to walk away if we interfered. And we didn’t want that, did we, Toban?”
Tyler’s dad grunted as he wiped down a table.
“No, we didn’t because he’s never talked about a girl like he talks about you, his muffin lady.” Mrs. Hamilton tossed an old pot of coffee into the sink. “But then he called and said you needed help. From us.” A big smile. “And now we can talk all the time.”
“Lord help you,” Tyler’s sister piped up from the Barbie tea party she was having with her daughter, now that the shop was closed.
“Pishaw.” Mrs. Hamilton’s glare was ruined by her sparkling eyes. “Your mom and I can talk too. And spend time together. We’re having dinner tomorrow, aren’t we, Hope?” The two ladies hooked arms.
Joy opened up her mouth to say something. “We certainly are.” Her mom looked so happy, she stayed quiet. “Despite all her protests to the contrary, I knew Tyler was more than a customer. I’ve never seen her fuss so over a muffin order.”
“Because she wanted it to be perfect. She loved him even then.” Mrs. Hamilton clapped her hands. “Look how she’s blushing and she’s not denying it, is she? She-”
“What isn’t she denying, mom?” The man himself stood in the doorway.
“Tyler.” His name escaped Joy’s lips. He looked tired, dark circles under his eyes, a day’s beard shadowing his jaw, his clothes the same ones she laid out for him wrinkled.
“Joy.” A corner of his mouth jerked upwards.
She stood there, wanting to go to him, to hug him, to feel his arms around her, but she was keenly aware of their audience. Their unusually quiet, wide-eyed audience. So she stared at Tyler, the space between them sizzling with emotion.
Mr. Hamilton snorted.
“Toban,” his wife admonished.
“What? We’re de trop, Norma, can’t you see that? They want to be alone.”
“And we’re going. There’s no need to use those fancy French words. Come, Laura, Britney. Hope, I have baby pictures of Tyler in the car, if you want to see them.”
“I should introduce you to my mom.” Joy knew it was rude but she couldn’t look away from Tyler. He was here. She never thought to see him again. Even with his family helping out, the hints about weddings and grandchildren, she hadn’t truly believed. But here he was.
“You can make the introductions tonight.” Her arm was patted. “I’ll have leftover turkey waiting for you and Tyler.”
“I’d like that.” Although Tyler smiled, his gaze didn’t waver from Joy’s.
“I’ll bring over the cranberries,” Mrs. Hamilton included herself in the invitation. “And I’ll call you, Joy.”
“In about a half an hour.” Laura walked a sleepy Britney out the door. “Or sooner.”
The door closed and they were alone.
This was it. Time to ask for what she wanted. Joy took a big breath, counted to ten, and slowly released it. “Yes.”
If Tyler wasn’t so attuned to his sweet hon, he would have missed that whispered word. But as he was, he heard and his heart skipped a beat. “Yes?” Did that mean what he thought it meant?
“My answer is yes.” Her chin tilted up as if daring him to dispute it.
Hell no, he wasn’t disputing anything but he did need clarification. “To which question, hon?” He stepped forward, aching to hold her, needing the comfort of her softness.
“All of them.” Her face glowed, her eyes so blue he could drown in them.
He had so many questions he wanted a ‘yes’ to. “Did you miss me?” He took another step forward, the air swirling around them scented with baking and coffee and Joy.
“Yes.”
“Do you want me?” He wanted her. In his arms. For all eternity.
“Yes.” She breathed a little heavier.
As did he. He should leave it there. To push Joy risked losing her. But his friend had almost died yesterday. A mere decade older than him and he’d almost died. Time was too precious to waste. “Do you love me?” Had he imagined the love in her eyes?
“Yes.” There was no hesitation and no doubt in her reply.
He wouldn’t hesitate either. He got down on one knee, took out the ring box he had carried around with him for months, opened it. “Will you marry me?” When he saw the ring, he knew it was perfect for Joy, a brilliant diamond solitaire announcing that she alone was his number one priority.
“Tyler.” Her mouth dropped, her hands covering her lips. “Yes!”
“Yes,” he repeated, his brain deciphering what that answer meant. A lifetime of love with Joy. Happiness. A future together. All wrapped up in that one syllable. “Yes!” he yelled, bounding up, capturing her in his arms, swinging her around, covering her face, her lips, her neck with kisses. She laughed. He laughed. They kissed some more. “Oh, hon, you’ve made me so happy.”
“That wasn’t my intention.” Her dry retort belied by twitching lips.
“No?”
“No.” She placed her hand on his chest, peering up at him. “For once in my life, I decided to be very, very selfish. I asked myself what I wanted. And you,” she stroked his chin, “are what I want. Forever. I love you, Tyler Hamilton.”
He kissed her. She tasted of sugar and spices and love. “And I love you, Joy soon-to-be Hamilton. I plan to spend a lifetime giving you anything you want.”
“Really?” Her smile widened.
“Really.” Anything he had was hers.
“Good.” She took his hand, leading him to the back. “Because right now I want to make love with you in the kitchen.”
“Like I said, hon.” He grinned. “Anything you want.”
Happy New Year Everyone!
There seems to be a lot of gloom and doom movies
lining up for the beginning of 2010.
Ethan Hawke stars in Daybreakers,
a movie about vampires taking over the world.
This gray suit is gorgeous (fits so well).
Photo Taken By nicogenin
(See Link For Copyright Information)
I recently read K.M. Tolan’s Waiting Weapon and loved it. I was so tempted to make it my Best Of… pick. It is THIS close (holding my thumb and forefinger close together) to being a romance. But it is not a romance, it is a wonderful, wonderful Sci Fi story with strong romantic elements.
K.M. makes me laugh so, of course, when he offered to write a guest post, I jumped at the chance. Humor makes the best holiday present!
Romances have made my life a living hell, and I work in hell for a living, so I should know. The name’s Rock…well, that’s what the boys call me, anyways. Sure, with the tattoos and all, I’m not much to look at unless a buzz-cut is your thing, but what were you expecting? I heft an ANZ-343, the hottest firepower this side of any assault rifle. Yeah, I’m a space marine and proud of it. Least I was till you Romance types came along.
Look, I’m not griping, but I signed up for the action. Walk on in that first scene while blowing the beejezus out of some bug-eyed whatever. That’s me. Nobody asks where I came from, or if I give a damn that I just wasted the last of a sentient species. I’m a grunt, right? Point the damn thing and fire. I loved my job. Walk up and smash the bad guy in the face, grab the woman, and hightail it out of there in some fancy spaceship whose name I can’t even pronounce, let along figure out how it works. Do it all again in the sequel.
So Mister hot-shot writer decides to hook up with a Romance outfit. Look, they wanted some SF, right? Not a problem. SF is my middle name. Marines are flexible - we fight in all kinds of situations. Everything starts out fine with the next book, with me coming out swinging and lighting the sky up. Sure, I knew there’d be some Romance types helping this dumbass with his writing, but I figured they’d know better. Yeah…right.
First thing I know, I get my mother talking to me over the goddamn com channel. Yeah, that’s right. Mother. Hell, I didn’t even know I had one. Here she is crying and all upset because my sister just joined the Marines back home, hooked up with some jarhead officer, and… Look, I was still trying to figure out how I got myself a Mommy, right? Now I’ve some sister named Carol and she’s up to her ass in trouble. Seems she’s being chased by some big tall and handsome jerk and needs help.
Here I am, fifteen light years from a cold beer, and I’m being asked to run back home? Doesn’t the jerk writing this shit realize that we’ve still four sectors full of bad guys…bugs, or whatever they call themselves? What’s with all this relationship crap? Hey, I’ve got problems too. My commanding officer may look like death warmed over, but she bakes a mean plum pie. Damn near lost my mind when she rubbed me the right way this morning after the formation broke up. Never had anyone look at me like she did - those dark eyes were stars I could get lost in.
What in the hell did I just say?
Jeezus, I didn’t sign up for this shit.
(Grinning) I LOVE it when big, strong men holler and fight falling in love! You can’t fight your feelings, Rock! And you can’t fight the romantic elements, K.M.!
Read more from K.M. Tolan at his website http://www.kmtolan.com/ .
Did I mention that I loved Waiting Weapon?
Click On here to start reading from the beginning
Joy slid the last tray of muffins on the display rack and hustled to the front door. There were people waiting outside All American. That wasn’t unusual. There were always a few early birds waiting for her to open. But the number, she bit her bottom lip, they’d never had a crowd like this.
If this was any indication, even with her mom’s help… “Rach, I’ll need you to bake more muffins.”
“More?” The girl stared at her.
“More of everything.”
“Gabby, you’ll be cash. Mom, you’re on muffin duty.” Her mom saluted, more animated than Joy had seen her in years. Because she was helping. They were a team. “I’ll take care of the coffee.”
Joy swung the door open, almost smacking an older woman. A woman with twinkling brown eyes. Like…
No, she was losing it. Dreaming of him, seeing him everywhere. “Morning everyone,” Joy forced a light greeting.
A chorus of morning’s echoed back at her.
The brown-eyed woman, a tiny birdlike figure bundled in layers of silk scarves and mini capes, fluttered back up to her. “Oh, you must be Joy. My dear hon.” And then Joy was being hugged.
By multiple people. A blonde lady joined the fray, wrapping her arms around both of them, a child smushed between. A giant, Tyler’s size, stood awkwardly to the side, rolling his eyes.
“Are you Tyler’s mom?” Joy guessed when they finally released her. They had to be. What were they doing here? Joy’s stomach squeezed. Were they here to tell her Tyler wasn’t coming back? Ever? She felt faint. Not now. She didn’t want that to happen now, here, in front of everyone.
“Of course, hon.” Mrs. Hamilton held the door open as patrons hurried in, securing their favorite seats. “And this is his sister, Laura, with Britney, my only granddaughter… so far.” The tall blonde smiled, a shy Barbie pink clad child clasped to her leg. “And Toban, my husband, the big grump over there.” Helping Dora, a regular customer, with her wheelchair, making her laugh.
While people continued to stream in the shop. Faces she had never seen before. “Mrs. Hamilton.”
“Call me Norma, Joy.” Her sweet countenance beamed back. “Is this your mom?”
“Yes.” Joy felt her face heat up. How was she going to explain this? “Mom, I’d like you to meet Mrs. Hamilton.” The mom of the man she loved.
“Hamilton? The boy I spoke to yesterday on the phone was named Hamilton.” Her mom talked to Tyler yesterday? “And wasn’t the large orange cranberry order last year from a Hamilton?”
“That’s my son, Tyler. He was so sad to miss your dinner party. Joy loves you so much and he wanted to finally meet you but I got to first,” Tyler’s mom crowed. “You can call me Norma and I’ll call you Hope. We’re going to be good friends, you and I.” The two women hugged. “We have so much to talk about. Maybe a wedding to plan.”
A wedding? Could he be coming back? Joy snapped back to reality as her name was called. She couldn’t think about all this right now. “I’m thrilled to meet you and I wish I could talk but today is going to be busy.” Joy nodded at the beckoning Gabby. The girl looked overwhelmed.
“Why we’re here, hon.” A pointed glance from Tyler’s sister and his mom amended, “One of the reasons why.” She put on one of the extra aprons hanging behind the counter. “We’re here to help.”
“I’ll clear tables.” The laughter lines feathering from Mr. Hamilton’s eyes softened his blunt words. “I’m always on trash duty.”
“What you’re good at, love.” His wife laughed. “Laura, you do the free refills. You still offer the free coffee refills, don’t you, Joy?”
She knew about that? “Y…y… yes.” They were here to work? “Norma, you don’t have to…” Joy handed Mrs. Kley her usual decaf.
“Pishaw!” A now gloved hand waved. “What would you like, dear?” Mrs. Hamilton leaned down to ask Dora.
“You’re new,” the elderly woman accused her. Joy always handled Dora’s order.
“Oh, I don’t work here. Not usually. Joy is going to marry my baby boy.” Pride in those words. “And about time. Been waiting years for him to find a good woman.”
“Joy’s not a good woman, she is the best.” Dora was adamant. “Your son is lucky to find her.”
“Thank you, Dora.” Joy’s face burned. “She has the bran muffin.” She had to stop this madness. “I’ll butter it for you.”
“Ahhh…” Mrs. Hamilton nodded knowingly as she turned to the next customer. “The top secret buttering technique.”