Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Today's Special - - Kat Martin





We're pleased to host New York Times bestselling author Kat Martin today for part two of her Against the Sky tour. Kat Martin is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara where she majored in Anthropology and also studied History.   Before she started writing in 1985, Kat was a real estate broker.  During that time she met her husband, L.J. Martin, author of thirty western, non-fiction, historical, and suspense novels.  A resident ofMissoulaMontana, Kat and her husband spend their winters in VenturaCalifornia.  She is a currently writing her next Romantic Suspense.


With fifty five novels to her credit and more than fifteen million copies of her books in print, Ms. Martin has been published in twenty-one foreign countries including France, Japan, Greece, Argentina, Russia, Sweden, Turkey, China, and Spain.

Welcome back, Kat!




HITTING THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST
By, Kat Martin


Thirty years ago when I first started writing, my goal was to become a successful author.  I wanted to be able to quit my real estate job and write full time.  Fortunately, with my husband still working, I was able to make that happen fairly quickly.

Still, when I finally I sold my first book after months of trying and numerous rejections, I earned the whopping sum of four thousand dollars--not much money for a year and a half of working ten hours a day!  But I never lost faith.  I thought, “I can do this.  I know I can.” 

I think one of the toughest things about being a writer is continuing to believe in yourself.  Insecurities swamp you.  Is this book any good?  Is this book as good as the last one?  Will my readers like it?  Will the publisher renew my contract?

After thirty years, those questions remain.  It’s only sheer force of will that keeps a writer pounding the keyboard, sheer determination that keeps an author from quitting.
So when I hit the New York Times printed top twenty books (as opposed to the extended list top thirty five, which I had been on a number of times, but isn’t in the paper), it was the kind of validation that keeps a writer going.

Someone must like these books, I thought.  Oh my God, it’s really selling!  It was a thrill to get that phone call--a notification that usually comes late on a Wednesday night.  I got the call early Thursday morning when my agent phoned and said, “AGAINST THE FIRE made the bestseller list!  You’re on the New York Times!”

It’s a real moment for an author, the thrill of a lifetime.  My heart is in these books, the newest Against books, The Brodies of Alaska, AGAINST THE WILD, AGAINST THE SKY (out Jan 27, 2015), AGAINST THE TIDE (out May 27, 2015).  Not only do I love the brothers, Dylan, Nick, and Rafe, but I loved the ladies who snare these hunky men. 

In my current release, AGAINST THE SKY, Nick Brodie, a former Anchorage PD homicide detective, has a serious case of burnout.  He's tired of murder and mayhem.  He wants a new life, something that doesn't include blood and death.  Unfortunately for Nick, he isn't going to get it.  When twelve-year-old Jimmy Evans comes to him beaten and battered, claiming his father was murdered, Nick has no choice but to help him.

To make matters worse, he has a lady friend visiting from Las Vegas.  Samantha Hollis, owner of the Perfect Pup pet grooming parlor, isn't cut out for the harsh living in Alaska.  Unwillingly swept into Jimmy's problems, she finds herself on a wild ride with Nick that leads them both into passion and terrible danger. 



I’m hoping readers who've been enjoying the Brodies of Alaska will be wanting more of the hunky brothers and their sexy ladies.  If you haven’t read AGAINST THE WILD, I hope you’ll look for it.  And don’t forget to watch for Nick and Samantha in AGAINST THE SKY, and Rafe Brodie in AGAINST THE TIDE.

Happy reading and all best wishes, Kat 

Are you reading the Against series? 

Do you have a favorite book in the series? 

Do you have favorite settings for the books you read? 

Do you enjoy "traveling the world" through the pages of the books you buy? 

One person who leaves a comment on today's post will receive a copy of Against the Sky. Winner's choice of print, Kindle or Nook. 


BUY LINKS

Amazon
BN
Indiebound
SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter: @katbooks
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/luvromance/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Kat-Martin/e/B000AQ0OJQ/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/49381.Kat_Martin

Kat is also running an Against the Sky contest through February 28th at her website. The winner will receive an elegant pair of Swarovski earrings and autographed copies of the first three Against books. 






12 comments:

  1. Hi Kat,
    Always a pleasure when visit. I've read your historicals and enjoyed and loved them all. I'm really looking forward to reading about the Brodies.I have lots of catching up to do. Thanks for the post.
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

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  2. I do enjoy armchair travel. I must admit to liking most locations.

    It seems I have a lot of reading to catch up with.

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  3. Yes, I'm reading the AGAINST series
    .
    Favorite Against the Mark, Ty and Haley's story.

    Alaska -men and women pitting their survival skills against the wild, untamed, beautiful land and animals of Alaska I love the outdoors.

    I love seeing the world through the author's eyes. It's the only way I can afford to travel.

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  4. I have not read your books yet.

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  5. I read Against the Wild, and I really enjoyed it. Alaska makes an interesting setting. I took an Alaskan cruise, and I was so impressed with the natural beauty.

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  6. I am catching up on the series. I recently read Against the Odds, and really enjoyed that it was set in "my" city--Houston. Alaska sounds like an interesting setting. Thanks for visiting, Kat.

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  7. Like the first commenter, I enjoyed Kat's historical romances awhile ago, and just started getting into adventure/action/intrigue contemporary romances. So! Just recently (after getting an Amazon GC for Christmas) I bought the first four of the Raines of Wind Canyon series and the first one in the new Brodies series and am looking forward to reading them all. Answering a few of the questions posed above, I really don't have a favorite setting as long as the romance and plots are good. The main thing is the "escape" for me from the day-to-day humdrum stuff. :-) And I do love "traveling" the world through books as the cost to do it personally is too prohibitive for me. Thanks for the interesting questions! jdh2690@gmail.com

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  8. I love the Against series! My favorite so far is Against the Fire. Loved Gabriel Raines. However, I'm loving the new Alaskan setting with the Brodies. I love stories set in small towns with a wide variety of characters apart from the hero and heroine. Characters you know will eventually be getting stories of their own. Don't much care for foreign settings when there is so much to see and learn about in the USA!

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  9. I love to read because I can experience the world without ever leaving home. I have this series on my wish list but haven't got them yet.

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  10. I've read several of Kat's earlier series, but haven't started this Against series yet (just checked it out - I have some catching up to do). I've done most of my traveling lately thru books - really makes me want to see some places in person!

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  11. I've read the majority of the Against series. I've missed a few here & there, as I get most of my reads through the library and they've been rather stingy lately on their paperback orders. One of the main reasons I read so much is to get lost in those worlds, whether it's a fantastic story/series or a fabulous location.

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  12. no fav yet; don't really care about settings

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