Jenny Kane & Jennifer Ash

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

Tag: coffee

Peeping Through My Fingers

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On September 29, 2013

In Blog, News

When my first romance novel, Another Cup of Coffee, came out three weeks ago I had a secret wish- I wished (well, I hoped), that the Kindle version would hit the top 50,000, and the paperback would hit the top 100,000 books in the Amazon charts.

Not high aims you might think; but there are  hundreds of thousands of books in the Amazon chart to try and sell against. This massive competition, combined with the fact that this is my debut novel in this genre, made me wonder if perhaps I was actually aiming too high.

ACOC- cover

It has been with some surprise- and no little amount of delight –  that I’ve peeped through my fingers, and nervously watched Another Cup of Coffee climb the charts, a few places at a time. Sometimes it goes up a bit, sometimes it goes down- and when, at the end of last week ,the paperback book got into the top 50,ooo an the Kindle version hit the top thousands- well, I just couldn’t look any more!

My husband told me the Kindle version had reached no. 454 this am!!! It may well have gone down a bit by now- I don’t dare look!!! The charts are updated at frequent intervals, so where a book is during one hour, might not be the same place as you’ll find it in the next hour!!

What I have been brave enough to check out however, is the Amazon UK Kindle romance chart- and major EEEEEEKKKKKKKKKK- Another Cup of Coffee is in the top 100!!! At no.96!!! Chuffed to bits!!

 

Coffee smile

So- forgive me for this blog- it feels a bit like I’m simply showing off- but I promise you I’m not. I’m merely full of shock and pleasure!!! I have no idea how long this good run of sales will last, and I’m bracing myself for the run of bad reviews (the genuine ones, and the ones fuelled by sour grapes), that always follows a run of good reports- but I just wanted to say thank you for all your support in the meantime!!

If you haven’t found Another Cup of Coffee yet, and you fancy a read, you can find the Kindle version here-

Strangers on a Train

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On September 15, 2013

In Blog

Okay- so I’ve been a little misleading with the title of the blog. It should really read ‘Strangers on a Platform’- but somehow that doesn’t have the same ring to it- it’s less dramatic somehow!!
Anyway, I digress!!
I’m writing this on a train. A train that’s very delayed due to a combination of failed signals and carriage malfunction. I admit the moment I saw I was to be a hostage to the tiny rather chilled waiting room at Westbury station my heart sank. However, never one to be dismayed for long, I soon struck with conversation with my fellow hostages, most of whom held either paperbacks or kindles.

westbury station

You can see where I’m going with this can’t you!

Always one for a bit of free marketing, and always curious- okay, nosy- about what sorts of reading matter folk favour- I was soon chatting away about the benefits of reading Dexter over Grisham, King over Barker, Fforde over Trollope and Pratchett over just about anyone. The discussion was lively and good natured, and soon the time was flying by, as some lively chap asked if I’d read Fifty Shades of Grey, and I did my very best not to groan.

It was at this point that further time was added to our delay, and the kiosk lady announced we’d all have time for another cup of coffee should we want one….cue my chance to recommend my own book. Who’d have thought my title could be so user friendly!! As you can imagine, I grasped my chance to endorse a certain Jenny Kane.

It’s always weird talking about myself in the third person, as if the story I’m recommending was written by a stranger- and yet, if I’m honest, there is a small kick to be gained when people scribble down the title of your work to try sometime when they aren’t doing it just to be polite because you’ve just told them you wrote it! And, to me, who hates pushing herself forward, it is so much easier to market my work if it doesn’t feel as if I’m showing off!!

ACOC- cover

So, I thought I’d write this little blog to say thank you to those lovely chatty, fellow train-waiters, at Westbury, and to apologise for my subterfuge!!  I hope, if you do read Another Cup of Coffee you thoroughly enjoy it!!

Happy reading,

Jenny xx

EARLY PAPERBACK RELEASE!!!! Another Cup of Coffee Anyone??

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On September 12, 2013

In Blog

YIPPEE!!!!!!  The paperback release of Another Cup of Coffee has been bought forward to 16th Sept in the UK, and 19th Sept in the US!!!

Although I have been writing for some time, and have had 16 solo erotic novels, anthologies and novellas published before, this novel feels like a major first for me!

I love writing as Kay, and the erotica world has been very kind to me- but I must confess to feeling quite different about Another Cup of Coffee– partly because the story is based on a decision I had to make once upon a time (I tell you about that another day if you are very good), and partly because of the marketing issue- it is just so easy to tell people about my new novel!!

KayJayBee-27

When you write erotica, you are preaching to the converted- to a small group of the population who love the genre. With romance, on some level, there is always the chance your work will appeal to everybody.

I love writing erotica- and it is a genre I really believe in- but forget 50 Shades- I’m talking real erotica, which is full of well crafted, well thought out, sexy stories. Some are mysteries, some thrillers, some crime based, others romantic, some emotional journeys- just like in any other branch of fiction.

The thing is though, in erotica you have to second guess people all the time. You can’t just stick up a poster up in a café or library advertising erotica for fear of offending, you can’t drop it in to conversation with people you don’t know well for the same reason- everything you say has to be judged on instinct. And to be honest- I’m okay with that- it is difficult and often frustrating, but I really don’t want to offend people – although to be honest, I don’t think  actually would if people stopped to read some, rather than assume they know what it’s going to be like.

Anyway- that’s an argument for Kay’s site- today I’m simply enjoying how lovely it is to be able to say, ‘I’ve written a novel called Another Cup of Coffee, can I put up a poster, can I read in the library, can I launch it at a National Trust house….” and not have to wonder what response I’ll get! It is a very freeing feeling!!

coffee and cake

So I’m raising a coffee to my first novel as Jenny- to all the lovely people who have bought it already, and the lovely reviews it’s already received- who knows, if I sell enough paperback and Kindle copies, I might get it in some bookshops!!

Kindle-

Paperback-

Happy reading,

Jenny xx

 

Another Cup of Coffee Character Profile- Amy Crane

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On August 19, 2013

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Fiction

Let’s get the low down on Miss Amy Crane…

 

Age– 34

Hair– Blonde, long, straight

Eyes – Blue

Employment– was a business growth advisor in Scotland, before leaving her job in search of a new life in England.

Relationship Status – Single- for absolutely ages (one broken heart was enough)

Characteristics– shy, clever, lacking self-confidence, determined, kind, forgiving- some might say, too forgiving…

****

Shrugging off her khaki jacket, Amy bent to pick up the pile of post that lay waiting on her doormat. As her hand reached to retrieve the small brown package half-buried beneath some junk mail, Amy froze. She knew that handwriting. She also had a funny feeling that she knew what was going to be inside.

But why return it now, after all these years?

The poorly-wrapped parcel broke open as her fingers fumbled at the sticky tape, and a music cassette slipped into her hands. The cover was unmarked, just as it had been when he’d taken it from her. Amy stared, disbelieving, the blood draining from her already pale face…

****

cassette

Fifteen years ago Amy Crane was a shy but happy-go-lucky archaeology student.

Fourteen years ago Amy met Jack.

Thirteen years ago Amy ran away. 600 miles away. From England to Scotland.

Now, spurred on by an unexpected arrival in the post, Amy realises she doesn’t want to hide any more.

Fed up with her job, missing her university friends, and disappointed in her own feeble behaviour, Amy finds the courage to face the ghost of her past and forge a future.

Armed with her mantra, New Life, new job, new home- which she repeats to herself over and over again, Amy Crane leaves her job, leaves her rented flat, and with more courage than she’s shown in years, heads south…

 

Find out more about Amy in Another Cup of Coffee…coming soon…

Jenny xx

 

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