kate rothwell

Read the first chapter at Heroes and Heartbreakers.

all the ladies in the yard--six at work. From far left in a circle: SusieTCD, C3b, C3, pisspot, splotchy (duh) and Shelly I was watching the chooks yesterday because I had work to do and nothing is more satisfying than watching chickens when you feel guilty about shirking work. Those ladies are the busiest creatures on the planet. So much scratching to do. More pecking on the agenda. They only rest for dust baths and even those are important for maintenance. Anyway. chooks. The pecking order seems far more complicated than I'd first noticed and it shifts all the time. Splotchy will peck anyone who comes near her. All flee as she struts past. But she doesn't get first dibs at food. So apparently aggression isn't the only hallmark of Big Bird on the Block. And Shitheel (or Pisspot for the more refined among us) gets pecked by everyone, but she can still chase her big big big sister (big) around. Speaking of big sister, Susie the ChickenDog, she is always at the bot...

They're practically greased up. Slick as can be. The story simply shows up, tip its hat, maybe blows on some loaded dice--loaded in your favor of course--and politely waits for you to settle at the computer. "No, hon, don't panic. I won't slip away or suddenly make no sense. Go on, enjoy the ride for once. Get some coffee even. I'll still be here. And maybe you'll come up with some great lines while you're pouring the half-and-half." I had one of the easy numbers last week show up and it was made even easier when Bonnie agreed to come along. I was reading articles about the London vaudeville scene -- music halls, rather, and read about Don Leno, watched a video or two of him and . . . now we have a novella. I love those easy stories even more than I love chocolate. Of course there's no knowing if anyone else will like them. That's the part I don't like.

Two bags of Costco candy and we're set for tonight, I hope. It's fairly trick-or-treat intensive around here. Back when my kids were younger, I used to make them stick their hands into pumpkins to pull out the seeds. They were going to need something to tell their therapists and that seemed like an easy place to start. The moosh! the cold! Argh! PROMO time: Two books are out! Both Bonnie and Kate books. But first -- this book is cheap for one week. Only 99 cents! And free if you're a Kindle Unlimited person. Go on, you know you love reading about old New York and slightly corrupt cops and strong heroines. And if you don't know that, then find this truth about yourself by spending less than a dollar and getting a fun fluffy Kate Rothwell read. I'll just wait while you buy that before springing the rest of my treats on you. Are you back yet?  Here, quick and easy, links to a couple of Summer Devon/Bonnie Dee titles Did you get the book that came out las...

The bumper sticker "Abortion stops a beating heart" makes no sense to me as an appeal. So does making a roast beef sandwich, except in that case the heart is beating inside something that can experience emotions, fear and pain. Also very few people on this planet will ever ask for an abortion as easily as they would a roast beef sandwich. I was too young to have a child and my relationship with my boyfriend was rocky. That's the reason I had an abortion: I wasn't ready. The experience was painful and horrifying (and that was just walking into the clinic past the protestors harhahar) No, really, it was a bad time for me, and I swore that I wouldn't do it again. I haven't. No matter what my past, I know I can't make that choice for anyone else. I still think about that baby-that-wasn't, usually to think "s/he would be xx years now. Wow." I hated that experience -- and have always known it was entirely the right thing to have done. So aw...

this is rambling as usual...the part about writing m/m romance isn't actually important so don't get caught in this first part, okay? Good.  I've been thinking about the whole co-opting the gay thing lately. It started when I read a few threads about how m/m romance is becoming mainstream and a bunch of straight ladies are writing it and that's creepy.  The argument of how the experience of being a gay guy belongs to the gay men and using for our own profit squicks some people -- that kind of makes a bit of sense. I understand it to a degree. I understand but I don't agree because fiction is fiction is fiction is made up stuff that we all get to play with.  BUT THAT is not what I really am thinking about. It's only the starting point. Let's get to the part where I have a DUH moment. I have a gay kid. The fact is, his life is so much easier than it would be for a gay or lesbian my age. It's easier than it would be for his brothers -- who are only ...

I've resigned myself to just using the blog for promotion or other things, like perhaps chickens. or occasional rants. So it's a deserted zone, usually...but the fact that I'm not writing here might mean I have a life, right? ** Hey.... never mind that. It's time to pop the champagne and bring on the dancing boys and yapping puppies. I have a new book out today! Yay! Go buy it! Read it even! For now it's at Amazon only! Kidnapped by his own target, this crooked cop is having one bad day. Detective Caleb Walker is foiled by his own industriousness. Determined to capture a criminal, he plants evidence—and is discovered by his higher-ups. Now blackmailed into being the strong-arm for a corrupt politician, he visits a poor widow he must convince to surrender her son. Yet something about her stirs his memory, and long-submerged desires. When she pulls a gun on him and demands he switch sides, he’s stunned, annoyed…and intrigued. No one will take her...

1. Trying to title a historical -- New York, 1880s, widow holds a policeman captive. She has her reasons, okay? Then I have to write cover copy and send descriptions off to the designer. Anyone got any ideas? He's (slightly) corrupt and has been sent to take away her kid (at the behest of her in-laws) Her Charming Captive Her Clever Captive I used to hate writing synopses but I'd rather write a dozen if it's that or come up with a single title. Ugh.  Also writing back-cover copy = worst ever 2. Fretting about my little dinosaurs. No need because they are strong critters. You shall not pass!    3. Living with all four of my men. All are men now. You go off-line for a few months and BOOM your little kids are grown up and your husband of course doesn't age at all. 4. Mourning my big pup. I miss her a lot. She was a good, good dog and a fabulous writing companion.

I'm a coward so I did it anonymously. But I figure, what the heck--I should be braver, and yo, this blog doesn't get a lot of traffic. I posted this in the very long and heart-felt (hey romance writers and romance readers--what do you expect?) thread at Smart Bitches.   anon because I'm still intimidated ** says: March 27, 2015 at 8:34 am I’ve never been attacked by Jane so I’m not taking the whole thing personally, but “attack” is definitely the word for some of the backs and forths I’ve witnessed between her and authors and publishers. Generally speaking, I think I’ve agreed with her more often than not. Yet I’ve also seen a kind of self-righteousness and holier-than-most attitude that almost made me feel sorry for the people she’d target…almost but, like I said, she was usually right. [I'd amend that to "she was often right"] I’d hope that a purely black and white view of issues will end for her now that she’s guilty of doing the sort o...

Bonnie and I have a book out next week . I started grinding the promo machine into gear (goddamn, that clutch is shot. You're never going to make it into third gear, Rothwell. Lemme help you push that thing back into the driveway. Yeah, best to stay home and read a book)  That meant I thought about this blog as a way to flog books and had a pang of no, no, that's not what I wanted. Not pure promo. That's not what I'm here for. Let's do food, shall we?**   Lovely nourishing food -- because we're still trying to be healthy around here. How about gluten-free, sugar-free cookies?**** Yes, I know that kind of "treat" frequently looks like roadkill and tastes like pious and dreary dust, but I like these. I almost invented them! Except for the fact that there are variations all over the place, I made this recipe up!  UGLY YUMMY OATMEAL BANANA DATE COOKIES They don't have sugar (except the stuff in the fruit. Okay, and in the dark chocolate bits....

I wasn't going to just use this blog for promo, but that's life, kid. And a giveaway is always fun. Goodreads Book Giveaway The Bohemian and the Banker by Bonnie Dee Giveaway ends March 14, 2015. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win

I just read another list of Ten People to Unfriend on Facebook. Sheesh, what  downer. So many finger-shaking tsk tsk bad puppy lists. They couldn't be more annoyed if those rule-breaking facebookers actually came to their house and peed on the new carpet.  That's really the only reason I'm writing this, an anti-anti response. It's not like I actually care what you write on your facebook page. I'll read your page because it's easy to do, and something other than working, and because some of you I like and miss, even if I've never met you, Ann C.  A GOOD FACEBOOKER 1. Lets anyone post, even people who disagree . That means some good, passionate discussion can happen. 2. Shuts down the shit. Any internet thread anywhere will contain crap-o-la. Trolls happen and then there are the people who resort to ad hominem when they get angry. Good facebookers will stop that useless conversation. Or if they don't, their responses are smart-assed enough to make...