Star Wars character Rey holds her yellow light saber

The Short Life and Excellent Death of Darth Lumpius

Karin Kallmaker Cheers & Chocolate, LIFE + STYLE 48 Comments

The Force Was With Me

Back in August I knew I would be writing this post and that this would be the title.

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Darth Lumpius had visions of immortality. Its evilness was about the size of two Cheerios. A routine mammogram screening discovered the nasty little bugger. Three weeks later Darth Lumpius was no more, aspirations of takeover all for nothing, thanks to a crack team of Resistance fighters: one surgeon, one radiologist, one radiation oncologist, one therapeutic oncologist, and a platoon of technicians and nurses. They each had their own light saber and the Force was with them. Read More

Cover Cowboys and Kisses written by Karin Kallmaker, narrated by Ann Shanks Etter

Now in Audio – Cowboys and Kisses read by Ann Shanks Etter

Karin Kallmaker Book News, Cowboys and Kisses 56 Comments

Drawing and comment period is now closed. Winners announced in this comment.

It’s always a little weird to hear someone else read my work aloud. Having lived with the voices of the characters in my head, sometimes for years, it’s like hearing familiar music but in a very different key.

So it’s a real relief when a narrator matches my sense of timing, hits the right notes on the humor, and adapts to the story tone to match my words. Ann Shanks Etter has done all that for the brand new release of the audiobook of Cowboys and Kisses. The audiobook is available at Audible, at iTunes, Nook Audio, Scribd, Spotify, Kobo and Walmart, Audiobooks.com, and many other retailers and library catalogs. It’s also available directly from me in mp3 and m4B formats. Read More

Close up of the face and hands of black business woman as she laughs and claps. Behind her another person also claps.

Surviving that First Panel – Moderators and Panelists

Karin Kallmaker Business of Books, Events and Appearances, Resources 1 Comment

Panels are a terrific way in the sapphic fiction world to boost your professional street cred and talk about your work. You’re in the midst of a group of other pros – some of whom might be real rock stars in the room – and you get to learn from them about both their work and how to manage the panel experience.

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Panels can be live as part of a larger conference, or a one-off hosted by a bookstore or library. They can be online during a weekend writing course, or an hour of a fun topic organized by authors or publishers as a way to engage readers. Each event will be different, and each will have its own audience.

Please consider this a wide-ranging set of tools you can customize to each event as needed.

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Albuquerque Take Flight Golden Crown Annual Conference logo with hot air balloon aloft in dark morning sky GCLS 2022

GCLS 2022 – Birthing Books and More

Karin Kallmaker Events and Appearances, Sisters of the Pen 0 Comments

Once the Googlerithmz realize we’re writers, we’re bombarded with online ads touting the only way to get an idea out of your head and onto the page. Hooey. Absolute hooey.

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meme, the only wrong way to write a book is not to write the book - all other ways are the right way - karin kallmaker

You can quote me. Marketing, quality, style, tone, plot – none of it matters if the page is blank.

How Books Get Born

It’s fantastic that pandemic protocols have eased and the Golden Crown Literary Society is resuming their live annual conference event. (Virtual series events remain too!) It’s been my good fortune to moderate So I Had This Idea – From Idea to Published Work panel over the years. Writers tell the stories of their stories. If you’re attending, mark your Friday morning at 9 a.m. to join us.

It doesn’t matter if you’re an experienced author or just starting out. Read More

Blue sky and green trees behind Rainbow Progress, Dublin City, California State, and United States Flags snapping in the wind

The Best Kind of Surprises and Pride in ALL of Our Books

Karin Kallmaker Cowboys and Kisses 0 Comments

I am continually, delightfully surprised by the reader love for Cowboys and Kisses. As always, I’m never quite sure what aspect of any story will form the magic connection with readers. I usually think I know, and I am often wrong. With this particular story, it might be that the two women might have actually existed in some frontier town, and lived happy lives together.

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One reader said it was a “love story that sticks to your bones.” Another said Read More