Jenny Kane: Coffee, cupcakes, chocolate and contemporary fiction / Jennifer Ash: Medieval crime with hints of Ellis Peters and Robin Hood

Tag: author

Who the hell are you?

Hello, it’s Jenny Kane here – or is it?

Last week I was lucky enough to go to the Exeter Writer and Blogger Meet Up, organised by the lovely Kim Nash and Holly Martin. It was a relaxed affair, with the only request made of us being that we wore name badges. I decided, in the interests of simplicity, just to use two of my many names- more for my sanity than anything else!

It was so busy – really wonderful! However, I had an attack of shy syndrome, and so I sat and chatted to many of the folk I’d met before- despite telling myself I must be brave and mingle!

This situation was not destined to remain however…

The pub in which was all met was open to the public as well as to us writer types. Unbeknown to me (as I had my back to the bar and am as deaf as a post), a stag party had come in. There they were, all dressed as characters from Top Gun, merrily ( I use the word advisedly) chatting to some of my fellow writers. Then, suddenly, there was a tap on my shoulder, and the words, ‘Hey, you’re the porn woman’ were being hurtled towards me at high speed…

Cue some good natured banter with said stag party.

Letting my inner Kay Jaybee take over, I coaxed the lads outside, where I took lots of photos for them – of them I hasten to add- and was about to make my way off when one of them produced a Sharpie…A little clothing signing later and I bid them a fond farewell and returned to the writer throng.

It was at that moment when a lady – who I regretfully didn’t catch the name of- turned to me and uttered the immortal words ‘Who the hell are you?!’

And so…maybe it’s time for a recap…

Jenny Kane writes RomCom style contemporary fiction – with a hint of romance and a healthy spattering of coffee drinking included. (Tea drinkers are also welcome)

book-pile

Jenny Kane also writes children’s picture books of the very quirky variety. There is no coffee on offer, but cookies are involved by way of compensation.

title-page

Jennifer Ash writes fourteenth century medieval mysteries– also with a hint of romance, but with no coffee whatsoever. There is ale though – lots of ale.

The Outlaw's Ransom

Kay Jaybee writes award winning, full on, adult only, erotica (not porn, despite the claims of the aforementioned stag party). It has been known to include coffee… Enough said… If you wish to learn about Kay, then feel free to visit her at www.kayjaybee.me.uk You should NOT visit Kay unless you are over 18. If you are under 18 and you visit her, you’ll make her very cross- not something I’d advise you doing…

best-of-kjb

There is another ‘ME’, but that name is not shared…ever…

And then of course, there is me. The actual me, who looks remarkably like Jenny and Jennifer and Kay. I can’t tell you that much about her except she works 12-14 hour shifts as a writer every day, and goes to work, and runs a house, and has a family (pretty much like every other writer I know). She often has moments of total forgetfulness, is very clumsy, drinks WAY too much coffee, loves Malteasers, and is rather keen on all things Robin Hood…Oh, and she is generally a very happy person.

Hope that’s helped a bit.

After the stag do incident I became much braver, and I spoke to some wonderful people in Exeter- although not as many as I’d have liked to as time ran out on me. Maybe next time.

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny/Jennifer/Kay/Me xxx

crazy

 

 

So, who the hell are you then?

Hello, it’s Jenny Kane here – or is it?

This week I was lucky enough to announce the pre-order of my first entirely historical mystery, The Outlaw’s Ransom. As this is a new genre, it comes with a new pen name – Jennifer Ash.

outlaws-ransom-pre

As some of you will know, I also write as two other ‘people’ as well- both for the over 18’s only market…

Then of course, there’s the real me, who occasionally gets a bit lost in translation.

I often get asked questions like – ‘Don’t you get a bit confused?’ ‘Do you have trouble remembering who you’re supposed to be?’ ‘Why not just publish everything under your own name?’

Well – in answer to the first two questions – yes, I do sometimes get confused, and when I am called by my real name I frequently take a few seconds to realise I’m the person being addressed.  As to the third question, well- it’s largely a marketing thing, and rather boringly to do with bookshelf spacing, advertising and so on.

crazy

Here’s a quick guide as to who all my ‘ME’s’ are!

Jenny Kane writes RomCom style contemporary fiction – with a hint of romance and a healthy spattering of coffee drinking included. (Tea drinkers are also welcome)

book-pile

Jenny Kane also writes children’s picture books of the very quirky variety. There is no coffee on offer, but cookies are involved by way of compensation.

title-page

Jennifer Ash writes fourteenth century medieval mysteries– also with a hint of romance, but with no coffee whatsoever. There is ale though – lots of ale.

The Outlaw's Ransom

Kay Jaybee writes award winning, full on, adult only, erotica. It has been known to include coffee, although not as a drink.. Enough said… If you wish to learn about Kay, then feel free to visit her at www.kayjaybee.me.uk You should NOT visit Kay unless you are over 18. If you are under 18 and you visit her, you’ll make her very cross- not something I’d advise you doing…

best-of-kjb

There is another ‘ME’, but that name is not shared…ever…

And then of course, there is me. The actual me, who looks remarkably like Jenny and Jennifer and Kay. I can’t tell you that much about her except she works 12 hour shifts as a writer, and goes to work, and runs a house, and has a family (pretty much like every other writer I know).She often has moments of total forgetfulness, is very clumsy, drinks WAY too much coffee, loves Malteasers, and is rather keen on all things Robin Hood…Oh, and she is very happy.

Hope that’s helped you a bit. As to me, well…it’s way to late for any help this end!

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny/Jennifer/Kay/Me xxx

 

 

Guest Post from Jeff Gardiner: Treading On Dreams

A new voice to Accent Press is joining me today. Please welcome Jeff Gardiner…

jeff! 019

Hi, Jenny. Thanks for allowing me to invade your blog today, I really appreciate it. Let me tell you a bit about myself: I was born in Nigeria – to British parents – and now live in southeast England. After being a secondary school teacher for many years, I am now enjoying life as an author and editor. I recently signed a three book contract with the wonderful Accent Press for my ‘Gaia’ young adult trilogy, which begins with Pica, a novel of transformation and ancient magic.

My first success as an author came with my short stories, which can be found in many British and American anthologies and magazines. My collection of stories, A Glimpse of the Numinous, received a number of favourable reviews, including this one that I’m proud of:

“Reading is a form of escapism, and in Gardiner’s fiction, we escape to places we’d never imagine journeying to.” (A.J. Kirby, ‘The New Short Review’)

My first published novel was Myopia, a YA exploration of bullying and the non-violent responses to it. Igboland came next, which is set in Nigeria during the Biafran War, following a young English woman, Lydia, who is struggling with her marriage, identity and faith amidst the turmoil of conflict. Both these books were published by Crooked Cat Books.

JGCovers

My third novel, released by Tirgearr Publishing, is currently on special offer – only 99p/99c! Treading On Dreams follows Donny who becomes obsessed with his student housemate, Selena. She, however, is engaged to another and Donny has to cope with the dreaded spectre of unrequited love. Donny refuses to give up easily. Unrequited love is something that many of us can relate to. What do you do when the one you love says those cringe-inducing words, “I just want us to be friends”? Aagh!

I’d be very interested to hear any comments your readers have about those two themes: obsession and unrequited love. Has anyone out there got any good advice or tales to tell? Please do read the extract below and leave comments. I will endeavour to reply.

For more information see my website (http://www.jeffgardiner.com/) and blog (https://jeffgardiner.wordpress.com/)

Regards, Jeff

Treading on Dreams by Jeff Gardiner - 500

Here’s the blurb for Treading On Dreams:

Donny is obsessed with his housemate, Selena – but his love is unrequited. He enthusiastically accepts her willing friendship, which only fuels his deepening fantasies.

Jaz is their crazy landlord who likes sleeping with women – lots of them. He takes pleasure in educating the once innocent Donny in the hedonistic pleasures of sex, drugs and rock’n’roll. It blows Donny’s mind.

Selena is engaged to Melvin – the perfect man – but is also keen to befriend the ever-demanding Donny … until she falls pregnant and her wedding looms.

Donny expresses his true feelings at the wedding, causing mayhem and anger. But there remains a chink of hope: perhaps Selena’s marriage to Melvin is not quite as perfect as it seems.

Treading on Dreams by Jeff Gardiner - sm banner

An extract from Treading On Dreams:

One evening Donny overheard Selena talking to Melvin in her bedroom. Melvin’s unusually animated voice mentioned his name.

‘Because I don’t particularly want to invite Donny, if it’s alright with you.’

‘But we were asked to invite friends and he’s my friend,’ Selena replied, to Donny’s delight.

‘That’s all I ever hear from you. Everything has to involve Donny. You must really feel sorry for the guy.’ Right outside her door now, he crouched, ready to pretend to be going to the toilet in case it should suddenly fly open.

‘Sorry. Wish I hadn’t mentioned it now.’ For the first time Selena spoke in a sarcastic voice, before.

‘If I didn’t know better,’ Melvin continued, ‘I’d suspect something was going on between you two.’

Melvin was jealous of him. How wonderful. After so much time and energy resenting Melvin this change of affairs came as something of a welcome revelation. Even better, she spoke about him constantly.

‘Don’t be ridiculous.’ She sounded annoyed. ‘It occurred to me that we should invite Donny to Tuesday’s meeting.’

‘I suppose the more people we evangelise to the better,’ Melvin’s voice admitted. Donny jerked back from the door. He wasn’t about to be groomed as one of Melvin’s religious conquests. But were Selena’s attentions part of some process to convert him? Perhaps her friendship was completely fake, with the sole intention of evangelising and converting them, like taking scalps. But no. Selena wasn’t shallow or conniving. Instead, he imagined her friendship to be a response to becoming disillusioned with Melvin. Had he worked a bit of magic and she was genuinely attracted to him, realising there were other men to fall in love with? How did she put up with what Melvin said? Donny left them to their squabbling and watched a DVD instead.

The next day he read long through the night and into the morning, until his eyes ached when he finally submitted and went down for an early breakfast. Hearing voices, he assumed Jaz had brought home a girl. However, to his surprise Selena and Melvin came into the kitchen to make some toast and coffee. Melvin did not normally stay over, but then Donny guessed they’d probably sat up chatting through the night until it got too late for him to go home. Eventually, Melvin made his excuses to leave and Selena saw him out. Because they took a long time whispering on the doorstep, Donny feigned aloofness and took his mug of percolated coffee upstairs. He sat in his room reading again, until interrupted by a light tap on his door.

‘Is it okay if I come in?’

Selena!

He jumped up and opened the door. ‘Of course. I always allow beautiful women into my bedroom.’ She didn’t respond with her usual coy smile.

‘I need to have a chat with you, Donny. Is now a good time?’ She sat on the corner of the bed and he sat next to her, carefully cradling his drink. He was ready to say yes to the invitation to the meeting, because going would at least annoy Melvin. A long silence suggested this was not going to be her opening gambit.

‘Donny, I get this feeling you and I have been getting quite close recently and I’ve really enjoyed your company and friendship.’

Donny’s face went hot.

‘Yes, it’s been wonderful. I love being with you.’

‘Well, I don’t think we should spend so much time together.’

Blood pumped in his ears and it almost deafened him. ‘Sorry?’

‘I only want us to be friends. I don’t want any more than that, Donny.’

‘Oh…no, okay.’ However, it wasn’t him speaking; he was a character in a corny film.

She walked out without looking at him or saying another word.

***

The phrase haunted Donny’s mind, echoing through the lonely darkness of each night: ‘I only want us to be friends.’ He imagined Selena saying it to him with her face warped into a mocking snarl.

After a while, the tablets started to lose their effect and waiting to drift into sleep was a tortured agony, but the more he thought about sleep, the more awake he felt.

How stupid he was to believe he had a chance with Selena. Scared of bursting into tears when meeting her, he avoided her for a few days, until one day he walked in on her making a cup of tea.

They both smiled politely but managed to avoid a conversation. He guessed they would no longer invite him to church meetings. Once Selena had made her drink, she quickly scuttled off to her room for the evening.

Donny struggled to put his thoughts together with his mind a jumble of loss, vulnerability, and dismay.

***

‘Women, eh?’ Jaz shook his head. ‘Don’t try to understand them, mate, that’s a mug’s game.’ Jaz sat opposite him in the snug bar of The Huntsman with two pints of Guinness each lined up before them. ‘My theory is that women fall into two categories: lizards and androids.’

‘But that’s the problem…she’s not either. She’s beautiful, intelligent, fun to be with and sensitive.’

‘Bloody hell, man, you’ve got it bad, ain’t you? You’ve started moping. Gotta stop that, right now.’

‘How?’

‘You’ve got to stand back and realise she’s just another human being no better than anyone else.’

‘Or a lizard? Is that what you do? Discard anyone after the conquest.’

‘It’s got its benefits. I don’t get hurt.’

‘But then you never get into a relationship.’

‘Well—nor do you—but at least I get some satisfaction.’

‘I suppose I got too hopeful and wanted it so much. It would only end in agony or ecstasy and knowing my luck…’

‘Hate to say this, but you’ve got to forget her.’

‘And how am I supposed to do that then?’

‘Join the foreign legion?’ Jaz returned without pause…

***

Links for ‘Treading On Dreams’ (Currently only 99p/99c):

Publisher: http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Gardiner_Jeff/treading-on-dreams.htm

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Treading-Dreams-Jeff-Gardiner-ebook/dp/B00J4Z63PI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415641077&sr=8-1&keywords=treading+on+dreams+jeff+gardiner

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Treading-Dreams-Jeff-Gardiner-ebook/dp/B00J4Z63PI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415641139&sr=8-1&keywords=treading+on+dreams+jeff+gardiner

***

Many thanks for visiting today Jeff – Treading on Dreams sounds great.

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny xx

 

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