kate rothwell

The Misadventures Of Super Librarian: Auntie Wendy's Unsolicited Advice To Romancelandia

A two star Amazon review on His American Detective: "Bodice ripper about gay men by a woman." and I'm longing to comment "don't you mean a waistcoat ripper?" God, no. Stop me. The reviews rarely rattle me any longer -- except when I spot a truth in a bad one. When that happens, I actually lose sleep. This means I still care about writing.  Speaking of reviewers and writers: A couple of days ago, a writer said she was tired of getting white ladies writing reviews of her books. She had an excellent point in the long run: her stories are meant for a particular audience and she wants them to resonate with those people and get more reviews from them.  But that first line was just....horribly obnoxious. I say this from my POV of course. Not a white lady who writes reviews -- but as a review grubber.   Anyone who disses any reader (especially ones that give honest reviews) deserves to be cast into the pit of being ignored.   ...

His Irish Detective is now on sale!  Buy it at Amazon.  Buy it at Kobo.  Buy it at Barnes and Noble  Colm Kelly, a popular constable, is happy to be a big fish in his little pond of an Irish village—until his secret sin is revealed by his best friend. Overnight, his happy life is ruined. He loses his job, and even his family, and flees to England. Colm might get another chance in London as an inquiry agent. His first job: watch the honorable Q.R. Marrill, the next heir apparent to a fortune, who lives under a cloud of family deaths. It’s unclear if Marrill is the perpetrator or the next victim of a killer who has struck before. Colm must discover the truth, and the best way to do that is to act as the man’s valet, a menial job Colm is ill-suited for. Worse, the young gentleman is nothing like Colm’s image of an aristocrat and more like his idea of perfection. He has no desire to ruin his life again with unwelcome passion. The bookish Quade Marrill, fourt...

You can get a full-length award winning historical romance by me! It's featured on BookBub Another upside to this sale? You buy the Kindle copy and pick up a discounted audio version too -- both for less than $4. This was my first published title, put out by Kensington. It's still one of my favorites, in part because I really love Mick, the cop hero. When I wrote it, alpha heroes were the way to go. My editor took a chance on a what she called out-of-the-norm sort of hero: a guy who isn't rich or pushy. I also had a great time doing research about the corrupt New York City police department for this book. Turns out I had too much fun -- I had to take out pages and pages of  Gangs of New York non-romance sort of content. I wrote Intrepid Heroine Who Gets into Trouble Timona soon after watching a few episodes of  the Perils of Pauline-- the real ones made in 1914. It shows. Somebody Wonderful  will be 99 cents until 2/17/18  here's the link at Barnes and N...

My coworkers hear it all the time  and are profoundly uninterested me:  Okay, this isn't going to work. I have these characters drinking tea again. They need to do something else immediately. These words are chopped. Two hundred gone. And let's see, the confrontation is coming up soon. Any suggestions? also me:   Oh. My. God. Why bother? No one reads your books. No one thinks they're anything more than adequate. You can't seem to change your style to fit what people want. You're old news. OLD. NEWS. Stale old voice. There's no point in writing yet another book that no one will wants-- me: How about if they finally talk instead of just hinting around? Yeah, and maybe that guy will say what's been on his mind since chapter two. also me: Jesus. So boring. Talk, talk, talk. You know that your-- me: How about if they-- also me: --you know your books are worthless because people want conflict and angst. They don't want to read another book wit...

I just noticed that Lois McMaster Bujold likes Ben Aaronovitch too.  I saw that mention on her blog which shows up on her Amazon page.  Which reminded me of my own blog and .... maybe this will show up on my Amazon page? If it does, and you've clicked on the link, hello! Here it is, my new cover for a new novella -- the first new book in a while, actually. Have you missed my writing? Whoops, never mind, not going to rub a toe in the dirt and peek over at you to see if I get some pats on the head. I've missed it and that's going to get me cranking again This was inspired by Bonnie Dee who wrote to me and said, hey, want to write a story about dogs and guys?  Yes please. Yes. A nice break from reality and, hoo boy, I have missed routine and fun stories. Thank you, Bonnie. I'm going to include an excerpt to her book at the back of mine. Hers will show up May 20, I think. HOT UNDER THE COLLAR will be out in May too -- probably May 15.

Isn't that nice? I think so too. I'm not going to rant about Trump, or Clinton, or BLM anything else. I'm going to wash out the chicken coop, make sure the ladies have enough to eat, and go about my boring life. Maybe I'll write some words in a story. In order to maintain this mild outlook, I'm going to stay away from social media and since I'm used to yammering, I suppose I'll just have to talk to myself here. Also I'm going to open my picture page and, without paying much attention, drop a picture from there. A random picture and today we have . . . HUBIE! Thank goodness it isn't a picture of naked people. Just a naked dawg.

I think, I HOPE, it's easy to do. They won't let me try it out. So why don't you? It's easy (I think) to enter.  #AmazonGiveaway for a chance to win: The Private Secretary (Kindle Edition). https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/5c35ed8f725fc1e4 NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Ends the earlier of Jun 24, 2016 11:59 PM PDT, or when all prizes are claimed. See Official Rules http://amzn.to/GArules .

I missed blathering into empty space. ** Today is a new book day and that's when I think of the blog. Today I thought about it for that reason and because I wanted to find a post I did about rejections. I wanted to link to it to show an agent that she does excellent rejections. The post isn't here--it was from 2005.***** But ANYWAY...  New book out today. The Private Secretary is a Summer Devon m/m historical, my favorite genre to write these days. And it already has a review too! It's always great to have the first review be positive. Seriously a big relief and something to clutch to one's bosom when bad ones roll around.   Here it is at GGR-Review . I loved it! The characters are quirky and laugh-out loud outrageous, the setting authentic, the dialog spot on, and with it all there’s a warm and humorous exploration of a time we think of as “uptight” but clearly is not when you know where to look and listen. If you love historical fiction and a splend...

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....