Guest Author Kathryn Shay

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Good Morning, Romance Junkies.

I’ve blogged with you before, but for those of you who don’t know me, let me introduce myself. I’m

Kathryn Shay and I write for Harlequin Superromance and The Berkley Publishing Group.  I have 23 Supers and ten Berkley Sensations published; there are over four million copies of my books in print.  I write contemporary romance, sometimes with a bit of suspense thrown in.  I deal mostly with everyday characters like firefighters, cops, teachers and construction workers, but occasionally I have a TV chef, a senator or a secret service agent as the hero or heroine.  I like to explore social issues and I’m told my books are highly emotional, often tearjerkers, and have hints of humor.

This month I’m releasing A MAN SHE COULDN’T FORGET from Harlequin Superromance. It’s about Clare Boneli, local TV cooking show host and fairly famous cookbook author.  The story starts when Clare wakes up in the hospital with amnesia and doesn’t remember her name or the people who love her.  She has retrograde amnesia, which means she can recall procedural things, like driving or playing tennis, but not events in her past.  Two men, Jonathan, her lover, and Brady, her best friend, hover over her and Clare begins to realize the tension between them is unbearable.  There’s also tension between her and each of them, and it takes her almost the whole book to figure out why.

Do you as readers like amnesia plots? Love triangle stories?  What are your reading preferences?  Do you like reading about real life situations, such as how firefighters live and work, or do you favor glitz and glamour and how the rich millionaire’s existence. Or, do you prefer the genres of fantasy and science fiction, like the Harry Potter stories?

I’m a long time fan of science fiction, and Bradbury’s THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES and Asimov’s I, ROBOT remain among my all time favorite works.  I also used to read a lot about the rich and famous in works like SCRUPLES and

VALLEY OF THE DOLLS.  However, at this point in my life, I like to read about real people in real situations.  It’s no surprise then that I write about them, too. 

My work is populated by teachers, lawyers, doctors, carpenters, builders, cops, book store owners.  And, of course, everyone’s favorite these days—firefighters. I like to show them in their jobs: how they teach a real class, go on a domestic violence call or fight a real fire.  I like to show how their work affects their lives and vice versa.  And I like for them to have troubled kids, in-laws who drive them crazy, that they hold grudges, have bad habits and exhibit basic human decency in a variety of situations. 

But I also think a writer can make a person who’s from another world easy to relate to, hence Clare in my current release.  She’s a lot like you and me, and of course the hero, Brady is the nice, normal guy we all want to have in our lives, even though he’s a famous illustrator.  As a reader, too, somehow J.D. Robb’s Roarke, or Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ football players all seem very real to me.

So tell me your reactions to my new book and your own personal reading preferences.

Kathy Shay

29 Responses to Guest Author Kathryn Shay

  1. бaкинeц

    За статью спасибо вам огромное, все по делу, достаточно много кто это применяет на практике

  2. Трейдер

    А ещё посты из этой серии будут?

  3. тыия

    Интересно, а кто может объяснить девушке как добавить этот блог в избранное?

  4. BakinskiyAvtos

    И как это автору не жалко столько времени на написание статей тратить, мы конечно Вам очень благодарны, но вот я лично на такой альтруизм не способен 🙂

  5. Romance Junkies

    And the winner is…….. Eva S from post # 13. Send us an email to blog@romancejunkies.com with your snail mail. Congratulations!

    Thanks so much for blogging with us Kathryn. It is always a pleasure to have you.

  6. Julia

    Hi Kathryn! I have read many of your books and enjoy them all. My favorite would be the Hidden Cove series (I believe that is the Firefighter stories?). Like you, I love the dark and edgy heroes too!:)

    I also love Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Linda Howard too. They are great!

    I like reading about real life situations. Or stories about bestfriend first and than become lovers later plot. But then I don’t have preference, because it’s depend where my mood take me to read what ever type of genres is there in my TBR pile.

    A Man She Couldn’t Forget, sound great!

    Julia – Yen

  7. LJ White

    I don’t really have a reading preference. Sometimes I’ll go for weeks reading one type of sub-genre and then not read it again for a while. I do enjoy reading books in series though since that way we get to read about the other characters.

  8. kathrynshay

    Hi, Everyone.
    Silly me–I didn’t check back to see the several comments posted after my blog day.

    Cathie–nice to hear from you. Yep, everybody loved those firefighters.

    Lynda–Jessica Mathews wrote Dana’s story,but it only went out to some bookclub, for some reason. THE UNKNOWN TWIN was my best selling book ever, but I heard CODE RED didn’t sell too well.

    I’m thrilled so many people like my work! Thanks again for having me here.
    Kathy

  9. MaitheMaitheMaithe

    Hi Kathryn,

    I love amnesia stories! I enjoy these stories because, usually, the character sees and realizes things she/he would never have noticed until they got a new perspective. They can see what is in front of them and lets them see reality from a clearer point of view.

    Ooh, triangle plots are fantastic! There is so much tension and you always end-up cheering your favorite character on.

    I read anything and everything…as long as the plot is good. I especially like fantasy, scifi, romantic suspense, romance, historicals, paranormals, etc. etc. *L* Like I said, I read everything and anything.

    I am really looking forward to reading your new book.

    Best wishes,

    Maithe

  10. Romance Junkies

    Hi Kathryn,
    I am glad you made it, I lpve Susan Elizabeth Phillips football series too. I also like Susan Mallery, she has had a couple series out that are great. I like series and family stories. I love to see characters pop in another story.

    Kim

  11. Caffey

    Hi Kathryn!!! Cathie here 🙂
    So love your heroes!!! I still remember dearly the fire fighters series from Harlequin which I discovered your books first! You have very emotional reads that so have me connect with the characters, like being a friend, being there. I’m looking forward to reading your recent one along with the last single title! I have some catching up to do in shopping!

    I love a variety of genres to read. When it comes to contemps and romance suspense, I do enjoy those fire fighters, along with bounty hunters, body guards, best friends to lovers, our everyday heroes too like mechanics, plumbers and all! Like I explained with yours, so much is reality that also doesn’t make us think we are alone. Then too love those with the suspense of those like SEALs, police, investigators and all! I love when the tension with the h/h is intense! All this chat about your books and others is making me want to shop right now but someone else is using the car, LOL

  12. Pamela Keener

    A Man she couldn’t forget sounds intriguing and will be included on my TBR list. I love contemporaries romance w/suspense included. I also like to read about real life type situations.
    Good luck with your book
    Love & Hugs,
    Pam Keener in PA

  13. Sue A.

    I’ve enjoyed a number of your books! I like to read anything that deals with strong emotions and an amnesia plot would definitely fit.

  14. Lynda

    With series books I’m looking for one of two things, either complete escapism like the mega rich and alpha males in th HPs or the emotional reads more frequent in the HSs that would involve everyday people.

    Did Dana, Lauren’s sister in The Unknown Twin get a book? It seemed to me that the hints were there but I haven’t seen it.

  15. Little Lamb Lost

    Hmm..must say that I join the list of people who read a bit of everything. Must say that I have not come across an amnesia plot in quite some time. Sounds interesting.

  16. kathrynshay

    How cool, so many of you have read my work. And liked it!

    I’d like to thank all of you for posting. I’m giving away an autographed copy of the book–or one from my backlist–and your moderator will choose who wins!

    Thanks again for the discussion, and I hope to be back here for my next book.
    Kathy Shay

  17. Eva S

    I’ve read many of your books and I’m looking forward to reading this one too! I love all books with a happy ending, contemporary or paranormals…

  18. Linda Crooks

    Your new book sounds great! I’m adding it to my wish list. 🙂 I generally like characters I can relate to. Every day people, genuinely nice & friendly, honest & straightforward, people I’d want to hang out with.

  19. Tehya

    Love to read and tends to read alot so I have a very broad base of likes..from contemporay to paranomals. Have way to many favorite authors and would miss one if I tried to list them. keep writing…

  20. Maureen

    I like reading stories about everyday people too.

  21. kathrynshay

    Thanks so much for the kind comments about my work from those who’ve read mine.

    My favorite authors are JD Robb–love Roarke–Nora Robers, Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Linda Howard.

    I love dark and edgy heroes, sexy ones too.

    I like science fiction, both in romance and on its own.

    Kathy

  22. Kathleen

    I love just about any kind of romance that involves two people who are strong personalties, where there is a tug of war of the heart. Where they have to fight there strong feelings for one another. I think the harder you fight for love the longer is lasts.

  23. Carol M

    I love J.D. Robb’s In Death series and, of course, Roarke! I like a variety of books. Mystery and suspense are my favorites. A MAN SHE COULDN’T FORGET sounds good. I always enjoy amnesia stories.

  24. kaenar

    I think that’s one of the reasons I enjoy your stories so much-the heroes are hot and sexy, yet real at the same time. They have their foibles and problems needing to be dealt with just like the rest of us. Plus, like you said, who doesn’t love a fire-fighter.
    Kaenar

  25. Danielle D

    Hi Kathryn, I really enjoyed reading your books. I have Taking The Heat in my TBR pile and I can’t wait to read it.

  26. Debby

    Hi Kathryn, I love to read anything that is good. Whoare your favorite authors?

  27. Mary Ann

    Hi Kathryn, I like my fantasy but I also like to read about real life situations. My favorite is time travel into the past. I can relate to that better than travel into the future. Reading about the rich is all right but more people are in the middle like myself and I find I prefer reading about them.
    Mary Ann

  28. Billie Jo

    Hi Kathryn

    I have read many of your books and enjoyed them immensely.

    My reading preference right now is reading dark and edgy.

    I am an avid reader and read everything, but sometimes I think our moods dictate what we are reading at that time. Does that make sense? LOL

    Keep up the great work!

    Billie Jo

  29. kathrynshay

    Hi, Readers.
    We had a little trouble getting the blog up but does anyone want to talk about anything–my post, your reading preferences? Any questions you want to ask of me?
    Kathy Shay

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